Virtual Peer-to-Peer (VP2P) Support Mentoring for Chronic Pain: A Pilot RCT

The Hospital for Sick Children

Status: Completed

Conditions: Chronic Pain

Treatments: Behavioral: Virtual Peer-to-Peer Support Mentoring

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01986387

1000036188

Details and patient eligibility

About

Study Hypothesis: A virtual peer-to-peer support intervention will improve health outcomes and quality of life in adolescents with chronic pain.

Full description

The aim of this project is to develop and examine the impact of a virtual peer support program on health outcomes and quality of life of adolescents with chronic pain using a waitlist randomized controlled trial. In addition to standard medical care, adolescents in the experimental group will receive a manualized peer mentorship program that will provide modeling and reinforcement by trained young adults aged 16-25 years who have learned to function successfully with their pain. Mentoring sessions consist of 10 sessions of 30-45 minute Skype calls over 8 weeks. Feasibility of the program will be measured in addition to quality of life, physical and emotional symptoms, pain coping, self-efficacy, social support, and self-management skills.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 12 to 18 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• males and females 12-18 years old
• diagnosed chronic pain condition (e.g., neuropathic pain, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, chronic musculoskeletal pain, chronic daily headache, chronic widespread pain)
• able to speak and read English
• access to Internet connection, computer capable of using free Skype software
• willing and able to complete online measures.

Exclusion criteria

• significant cognitive impairments
• major co-morbid illnesses (i.e., psychiatric conditions) likely to influence HRQL assessment
• participating in peer support or self-management interventions (e.g., WebMap).

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Virtual Peer-to-Peer Support Mentoring

Experimental group

Description:

In addition to standard medical care, adolescents in the experimental group will receive the VP2P support program, a manualized peer-mentorship program that will provide modeling and reinforcement by peers (young adults with chronic pain aged 16-25 years who have learned to function successfully with their chronic pain to the mentored participants).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Virtual Peer-to-Peer Support Mentoring

Waitlist Control

No Intervention group

Description:

The control group will receive usual care but without the mentorship intervention. They will be offered the VP2P support program after completion of outcome measures (T1 - to be completed online prior to randomization; T2 - at program completion).