Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40802968›Full record

ArticleJMIR research protocols2025

Assessment of Two Online Interventions for Veterans With Chronic Pain: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Efficacy Trial.

Erin D Reilly, Hannah L Grigorian, Alicia A Heapy, Bella Etingen, Megan M Kelly, Noah R Wolkowicz, Caitlin M Girouard, Timothy P Hogan, Katarina Bernice, Timothy Bickmore

Registry-linked trialAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR research protocols, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06058624 (Assessing the Efficacy of an Acceptance-Based Digital Intervention to Improve Functioning for Veterans With Chronic Pain), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06058624 narecruitingnot on this map

Assessing the Efficacy of an Acceptance-Based Digital Intervention to Improve Functioning for Veterans With Chronic Pain

TypeinterventionalSponsorVA Office of Research and DevelopmentRan2024 to 2027Enrolled240ConditionsChronic PainArmsVeteran ACT for Chronic Pain (VACT-CP), Online Pain School
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Erin D ReillyMental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veteran Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Department of Veterans Affairs, Bedford, MA, United States.ORCID 0000-0003-1796-954X
Hannah L GrigorianMental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veteran Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Department of Veterans Affairs, Bedford, MA, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-6132-9294
Alicia A HeapyPain Research, Informatics, Multi-morbidities, and Education Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, CT, United States.ORCID 0000-0003-1284-8263
Bella EtingenResearch and Development Service, Dallas VA Medical Center, Department of Veteran Affairs, Dallas, TX, United States.ORCID 0000-0003-1325-9073
Megan M KellyMental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veteran Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Department of Veterans Affairs, Bedford, MA, United States.ORCID 0000-0003-1433-1129
Noah R WolkowiczSchool of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-4443-2265
Caitlin M GirouardMental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veteran Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Department of Veterans Affairs, Bedford, MA, United States.ORCID 0000-0001-5850-711X
Timothy P HoganDepartment of Health Economics, Systems, and Policy, Peter O'Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-6888-0927
Katarina BerniceMental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veteran Affairs Bedford Healthcare System, Department of Veterans Affairs, Bedford, MA, United States.ORCID 0009-0006-4886-845X
Timothy BickmoreKhoury College of Computer Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-2676-9788

Funding

RRD VA I01 RX004804
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChronic pain is a debilitating condition that disproportionately impacts US veterans who manage numerous negative pain-related outcomes. There is an urgent need for accessible, engaging, and innovative treatments that can help veterans with chronic pain better self-manage their pain at home and improve their daily functioning. Technology-delivered acceptance- and mindfulness-based interventions for pain have shown strong efficacy, particularly when they are engaging and tailored to specific client needs. However, more research is needed to assess the impact of such interventions, particularly in terms of pain-related functioning and quality of life.

objectiveThe primary aim of this study is to test the efficacy of Veteran Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Chronic Pain (VACT-CP), an online self-management pain program, compared to an active online control (Online Pain School) for improving pain-related functioning in a 3-site randomized controlled trial. The secondary aim is to explore psychological flexibility as a potential mediator between pain severity and pain-related functioning.

methodsThis study will use a mixed methods approach to examine the efficacy of VACT-CP in a 2-arm, multisite, randomized controlled superiority trial including 200 participants with chronic musculoskeletal pain compared to Online Pain School. Participants will be assigned to 1 of these 2 online interventions. Both interventions will include 7 modules delivered over 7 weeks, with each module lasting approximately 15 minutes. Mixed effects models will be used to analyze the primary hypothesis that participants in the VACT-CP group will have greater improvement in pain-related functioning (Brief Pain Inventory-Interference subscale) than those in the active control group (Online Pain School). The main acceptance and commitment therapy process mediator (ie, Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory), pain-related functioning outcomes (Brief Pain Inventory-Interference subscale), and quality of life (Veterans RAND 36-Item Health Survey) will be measured at baseline, end of treatment, and 3 and 6 months after treatment. In addition, qualitative exit interviews will be conducted with a random set of 30 VACT-CP users (n=10, 33% per site) to obtain intervention usability, feasibility, and acceptability information.

resultsThe recruitment for this study began in January 2025. It is expected to continue through January 2027. Data collection is expected to be completed by June 2027, and primary data analyses are expected to be completed by early 2028.

conclusionsOnline interventions such as VACT-CP and Online Pain School have the potential to expand access to behavioral interventions that improve quality of life and provide nonpharmacological pain treatment options for veterans experiencing chronic pain. However, research on their impact and underlying mechanisms of change is required to support this area of potential at-home programming.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT06058624; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06058624. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/70601.

Indexed as

Acceptance and Commitment TherapyChronic PainPain ManagementVeteransAdultEquivalence Trials as TopicFemaleHumansInternetMalePain MeasurementQuality of LifeRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSelf-ManagementTreatment Outcomeacceptance and commitment therapychronic paindigital health interventionefficacy trialembodied conversational agentrandomized controlled trial

Identifiers

PMID40802968
PMCPMC12391840

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.