Matching Adults to Treatments for Chronic Pain (MATCH) Study

Description

Chronic pain is a prevalent, disabling problem affecting as many as 50% of men and 75% of women Veterans. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the current gold standard treatment for chronic pain. However, while some individuals do respond to CBT, many individuals do not obtain meaningful benefit. As a result, the average response to CBT treatment in groups of individuals with chronic pain is only modest. To address the need for effective treatments, the investigators have developed and adapted Complementary and Integrative Health (CIH) interventions such as Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Hypnotic Cognitive Therapy (HYP-CT) for chronic pain management. Research shows these treatments are beneficial alternatives to CBT. However, as with CBT, response to these treatments varies, and the investigators' preliminary data suggests outcome variability is explained by a number of baseline patient factors. Research is now needed to advance knowledge regarding the pre-treatment patient factors (i.e., predictive markers) that moderate treatment outcome (i.e., patient factors that interact with treatment condition to predict outcome). The findings from this research will provide an empirical basis for developing patient-treatment matching algorithms to prospectively match a given individual to the evidence-based treatment most likely to be beneficial for them. The investigators have initiated a program of research to identify the factors that predict response to psychosocial pain treatments, including HYP-CT, MBCT, and CBT. Preliminary findings suggest that predictive markers such as brain activity (e.g., alpha and beta power, as measured by EEG), and the traits of mindfulness, hypnotizability, and catastrophizing, will predict who benefits most from different treatments. For example, post hoc analyses show that those who are "well-matched" to HYP-CT, based on the identified baseline moderators, achieve twice the amount of pain reduction with treatment, compared to those who are not well- matched. To confirm these findings, prospective research is now needed. The findings from this study will provide a foundation upon which to develop an assessment battery to identify critical values on which to base algorithms for a priori matching of individual patients to different treatments. This has the potential to substantially boost the typically modest average effect sizes that are achieved when using a more traditional "one size fits all" approach.

Conditions

Chronic Pain

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

Chronic pain is a prevalent, disabling problem affecting as many as 50% of men and 75% of women Veterans. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the current gold standard treatment for chronic pain. However, while some individuals do respond to CBT, many individuals do not obtain meaningful benefit. As a result, the average response to CBT treatment in groups of individuals with chronic pain is only modest. To address the need for effective treatments, the investigators have developed and adapted Complementary and Integrative Health (CIH) interventions such as Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Hypnotic Cognitive Therapy (HYP-CT) for chronic pain management. Research shows these treatments are beneficial alternatives to CBT. However, as with CBT, response to these treatments varies, and the investigators' preliminary data suggests outcome variability is explained by a number of baseline patient factors. Research is now needed to advance knowledge regarding the pre-treatment patient factors (i.e., predictive markers) that moderate treatment outcome (i.e., patient factors that interact with treatment condition to predict outcome). The findings from this research will provide an empirical basis for developing patient-treatment matching algorithms to prospectively match a given individual to the evidence-based treatment most likely to be beneficial for them. The investigators have initiated a program of research to identify the factors that predict response to psychosocial pain treatments, including HYP-CT, MBCT, and CBT. Preliminary findings suggest that predictive markers such as brain activity (e.g., alpha and beta power, as measured by EEG), and the traits of mindfulness, hypnotizability, and catastrophizing, will predict who benefits most from different treatments. For example, post hoc analyses show that those who are "well-matched" to HYP-CT, based on the identified baseline moderators, achieve twice the amount of pain reduction with treatment, compared to those who are not well- matched. To confirm these findings, prospective research is now needed. The findings from this study will provide a foundation upon which to develop an assessment battery to identify critical values on which to base algorithms for a priori matching of individual patients to different treatments. This has the potential to substantially boost the typically modest average effect sizes that are achieved when using a more traditional "one size fits all" approach.

Matching Adults to Treatments for Chronic Pain (MATCH) Study

Matching Adults to Treatments for Chronic Pain (MATCH) Study

Condition
Chronic Pain
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Seattle

University of Washington, Ninth and Jefferson Building, Seattle, Washington, United States, 98104

Seattle

VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle Division, Seattle, Washington, United States, 98108

Tacoma

VA Puget Sound Health Care System, American Lake, Tacoma, Washington, United States, 98493

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * ≥ 18 years old.
  • * Having chronic pain, operationalized as average pain intensity in the last week rated as ≥ 3 on a 0-10 Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) and having pain on most days for 3 months or more.
  • * Able to read, speak, and understand English.
  • * Willingness to be randomized to condition and use videoconferencing for treatment sessions.
  • * Access to a private place with adequate internet reception to support participation in videoconferencing treatment sessions.
  • * Not currently participating in another clinical trial or interventional study for chronic pain and willing to refrain from participation in any other clinical trial or interventional study for chronic pain during active participation in this study.
  • * Willing, able, and committed to participate in an in-person EEG assessment.
  • * Able to use a smart phone, tablet, or computer independently to access email and webpages or have someone available in their home who can help them with initial session set-up and then leave for the treatment sessions.
  • * Active suicidal ideation/intent indicating significant risk.
  • * Unstable medical or psychiatric condition (e.g., mania, psychotic symptoms) that would interfere with study participation.
  • * Behavioral issues noted in the record or observed during the screening process that would interfere with appropriate or safe videoconferencing treatment session participation or study procedures.
  • * Alcohol abuse (operationalized as scoring 16 or more on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test), or any illicit drugs, all of which may impact EEG measures.
  • * Severe cognitive impairment defined as two or more errors on the Six-Item Screener.
  • * Having an EEG confounder (e.g., congenital or acquired skull defects, missing sections or holes in the skull, or plates, screws, or other implants within the skull or brain) that would interfere with reliable EEG data collection.
  • * Active cancer treatment or primary pain is due to cancer.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

University of Washington,

Mark P Jensen, Ph.D., PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, University of Washington

Rhonda M Williams, Ph.D., PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, VA Puget Sound Health Care System

Study Record Dates

2026-03-31