RecruitingNot ApplicableNCT07067619

Pain Acceptance Training in Patients Experiencing Emotional Distress and Somatic Symptoms: Examination of Dialectical Thinking as a Mediating Factor

Sponsor

University of Haifa

Enrollment

100 participants

Start Date

Dec 1, 2024

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Conditions

Chronic Pain Somatic Pain Comorbid Pain and Emotional Difficulties

Summary

Somatic symptoms, including physical pain, are highly prevalent among mental health patients. Current treatments have limited effectiveness for these symptoms, primarily because of patients' diminished introspective capacity and lack of emotional awareness. The current study proposes pain acceptance training as a new intervention. This intervention relies on the tenets of dialectical thinking, particularly on maintaining a dialectic perspective - at once acknowledging both the desire to end the pain and the ability to accept it as it is. We aim to examine the following: (1) the efficacy of pain acceptance training in the alleviation of somatic pain in patients with somatic symptoms; (2) the role of dialectical thinking as a mediator of pain acceptance training efficacy.

Eligibility

Min Age: 18 YearsMax Age: 70 Years

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

This clinical trial is studying a behavioral approach called Pain-acceptance intervention for people with chronic pain, comorbid pain and emotional difficulties, and other related conditions. The study is currently recruiting participants at 2 locations. People eligible for this study include aged 18 Years to 70 Years.

This summary was AI-generated to explain the trial in plain language. It is not medical advice. Always discuss eligibility with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.

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Interventions

BEHAVIORALPain-acceptance intervention

The intervention start with a conversation and inquiry about the participant's pain while continuously validating his experience and creating a shared understanding of their struggles and difficulties due to the pain. Next, the experimenter explain the relations between distress, pain and suffering, emphasizing that in many cases trying to control our pain, emotions and thoughts leads us to undesirable results through emotional avoidance, anger and escape. This explanation will be accompanied with commonly used metaphors to enhance participants' understanding. Afterwards, participants are familiarized with the strategy of "emotional acceptance of pain". The strategy will be comprehensively explained and participants will practice it with the experimenter twice: Firstly, by practicing with the mental exercise of "STOP" (i.e. Stop, Take a step back, Observe, Procced Mindfully); Secondly by practicing the pain acceptance strategy while feeling moderate pain, and discuss their experience.