The experimental study compares three virtual human interviews of patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain: Emotional disclosure and brain, emotional disclosure only, basic information control. Effects on attitudes and clinical outcomes at 1-month follow-up are assessed.
Emotional disclosure about stressors and other private experiences has been found to be helpful for some people with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Also, helping patients understand the role of the brain in pain has been helpful. We have developed a virtual human interviewer to help patients talk about their pain and their lives. We will conduct an experimental study to compare the effects of several different types of VH interviews. Patients with chronic pain will be randomized to receive one of three VH interviews: emotional disclosure and brain education; emotional disclosure alone; or a control basic pain interview. Patients will be assessed at baseline and 1-month follow-up on a range of attitudinal and clinical measures to determine how these different interviews affect outcomes.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
94
Patients are interviewed about a number of aspects of their lives (stress, other illnesses, personality, adverse childhood experiences), and these are explored as part of education of the brain's role in their pain.
Patients are interviewed about a number of aspects of their lives, but without brain education
Patients are interviewed about their pain history and other basic, non-disclosure information about their health.
University of Southern California Center for Self-report Science
Los Angeles, California, United States
Pain Intensity
Brief Pain Inventory (average of the 4 pain intensity rating items: highest, lowest, average, now). Range: 0.0 to 10.0 (higher = more severe pain)
Time frame: Change from Baseline to 1-month follow-up
Pain Interference
Brief Pain Inventory (7 interference items; range: 0.0 to 10.0; higher = more interference)
Time frame: Change from Baseline to 1-month follow-up
Pain Stages of Change Questionnaire
Pain Stages of Change Questionnaire assesses readiness / motivation to engage in pain self-management. Sum of subscales of Contemplation + Action + Maintenance - Precontemplation; Range = 0 to 12; higher scores = more readiness to change
Time frame: Change from Baseline to 1-month follow-up
Pain Catastrophizing Scale
Pain catastrophizing (range: 0.0 to 4.0; higher scores = more catastrophizing)
Time frame: Change from Baseline to 1-month follow-up
Emotional Distress
Self-rating of how "depressed," "anxious," "angry," and "guilty" participant was during last week on 0 to 4 scale. Ratings averaged; higher means = more distress
Time frame: Change from Baseline to 1-month follow-up
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