Virtual Human Technology for Patients With Chronic Pain

Wayne State University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

Treatments: Behavioral: Emotional Disclosure Only; Behavioral: Emotional Disclosure and Brain Education; Behavioral: Pain Information Control

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04349033

UP-19-00230

Details and patient eligibility

About

The experimental study compares three virtual human interviews of patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain: Emotional disclosure and brain, emotional disclosure only, basic information control. Effects on attitudes and clinical outcomes at 1-month follow-up are assessed.

Full description

Emotional disclosure about stressors and other private experiences has been found to be helpful for some people with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Also, helping patients understand the role of the brain in pain has been helpful. We have developed a virtual human interviewer to help patients talk about their pain and their lives. We will conduct an experimental study to compare the effects of several different types of VH interviews. Patients with chronic pain will be randomized to receive one of three VH interviews: emotional disclosure and brain education; emotional disclosure alone; or a control basic pain interview. Patients will be assessed at baseline and 1-month follow-up on a range of attitudinal and clinical measures to determine how these different interviews affect outcomes.

Enrollment: 94 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Chronic musculoskeletal Pain

Exclusion criteria

• Non-English speaking

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

---

94 participants in 3 patient groups, including a placebo group

Emotional Disclosure and Brain Education

Experimental group

Description:

Patients are interviewed about stress and other emotional issues and are educated about how emotions and the brain influence pain.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Emotional Disclosure and Brain Education

Emotional Disclosure only

Active Comparator group

Description:

Patients are interviewed about stress and other emotional issues only.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Emotional Disclosure Only

Pain Information Control

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Patients are interviewed about their pain history and experience.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Pain Information Control