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Optimizing Psychotherapy for Older Veterans With Chronic Pain
NCT03918642 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
This study is being performed to compare the effects of two alternate types of psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET), for chronic musculoskeletal pain in older adults. In addition, the investigators will evaluate which patients respond better to each treatment and further investigate how each treatment works. CBT, which focuses on improving coping skills for pain, is the standard form of psychotherapy offered at VA. EAET instead focuses on understanding how life stress, relationships, and emotions may cause and perpetuate pain. The investigators are performing the study because pain is a large problem among Veterans. Studies show that chronic pain affects as many as 50% of male Veterans and 75% of female Veterans. The investigators are focusing on older adult Veterans because they have the highest rates of chronic pain at VA, perhaps as high as 80%. The investigators are looking at psychotherapy in this study because VA, the Department of Defense, and the CDC recently recommended psychosocial treatments, such as psychotherapy, as first treatments for chronic pain, along with medications other than opioids (e.g., oxycodone). However, only one form of psychotherapy, CBT, is currently available in clinical practice at VA, and this study may provide evidence for making EAET available to Veterans as well.
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- BEHAVIORAL Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy
- BEHAVIORAL Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Study Locations (1)
California
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, West Los Angeles, CA — West Los Angeles
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 126 participants |
| Start Date | 2019-05-16 |
| Est. Completion | 2023-09-14 |
| Phase | NA |
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Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT03918642
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT03918642 describes a study currently listed as completed. It is categorized as NA, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 126 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is VA Office of Research and Development, which has 1,863 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 1 condition, with Musculoskeletal Pain appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 2 interventions — of which Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.
Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT03918642 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include California. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT03918642 about?
NCT03918642 is a clinical study titled "Optimizing Psychotherapy for Older Veterans With Chronic Pain". This study is being performed to compare the effects of two alternate types of psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET), for chronic musculoskeletal pain in older adults. In addition, the investigators will evaluate which patients respond ...
What is the current status of trial NCT03918642?
This trial is currently completed. It is a NA study. The enrollment target is 126 participants. The study started on 2019-05-16. Estimated completion is 2023-09-14.
What conditions does trial NCT03918642 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Musculoskeletal Pain. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT03918642?
The interventions under investigation include: Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (BEHAVIORAL), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (BEHAVIORAL). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT03918642?
This trial is sponsored by VA Office of Research and Development, which has 1,863 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT03918642 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across California. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
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