The Facing Pain Study

April 13, 2020 updated by: Mark A. Lumley, Wayne State University

The Impact of Facebook Support Groups for Adults With Chronic Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial

This randomized trial will create and compare two private Facebook conditions for patients with chronic pain. The control condition will be comprised of groups of patients who communicate without much clinician / moderator input, and the experimental condition will have a clinician moderating and teaching patients several techniques designed to facilitate social disclosure, validation, and emotional engagement with avoided activities.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This study will investigate the effectiveness of a private Facebook group for individuals in chronic pain. Currently, more than 100,000 individuals with chronic pain (ICPs) participate in Facebook groups, seeking support from others in similar situations. There are currently some online self-management programs for ICPs; however, most lack a peer support aspect, as they are individualized, self-directed, and focus on instructing patients in how to manage their pain. The goals of the proposed online pain support group are: 1) to provide peer-to-peer social support for individuals with chronic pain; and 2) to disseminate psychosocial pain management techniques using a social media platform. Screened participants will be assigned to one of two conditions: a Facebook group similar to the groups that are occurring naturally (control condition) or an enhanced Facebook group that is moderated by clinicians and offers psychosocial pain management techniques (experimental condition). Both conditions involve peer-to-peer healthcare and support, but the experimental group additionally includes components such as psychoeducation about pain neuroscience, emotional validation training, guided emotional disclosure, and activities to overcome emotional and behavioral avoidance. Findings from this study will offer important information about the impact of Facebook support groups on pain outcomes, and test whether psychosocial pain interventions can be disseminated using a social media platform.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
119

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Michigan
      • Detroit, Michigan, United States, 48202
        • Wayne State University

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.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Must have chronic pain (i.e., pain that persists for greater than 3 months)
  • Must be fluent at reading and writing in English
  • Must have an active Facebook account and check Facebook at least 3 times a week

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Terminal illness such as cancer
  • Active psychosis (e.g., hallucinations, delusions)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Enhanced Facebook Condition
The enhanced Facebook group will be moderated by clinicians and offer psychosocial pain management techniques.
Behavioral: Enhanced Facebook Condition
The intervention (enhanced Facebook condition) will consist of several training components that were selected based on pain research and platform affordances. The first component will be psychoeducation on pain neurobiology. Emotional validation training will follow. The third component will consist of facilitating patients' emotional disclosure about their pain journeys and lives. The fourth and final intervention component will include prompts to engage participants in activities that they have been avoiding because of their pain.
Active Comparator: Control Facebook Condition
In the control condition, there will be no outside intervention; rather, the investigators will instruct participants to offer mutual support for the duration of the group and will not comment further.
Behavioral: Control Facebook Condition
The control condition will instruct participants to offer mutual support and will not offer psychosocial intervention.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in pain severity from baseline to post-intervention to 1-month follow-up: Brief Pain Inventory
Time Frame: Pain severity will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Brief Pain Inventory (Cleeland, 1991): Pain severity items: 1) Worst pain (0 [no pain] - 10 [pain as bad as you can imagine]), 2) Average pain (0 [no pain] - 10 [pain as bad as you can imagine]), 3) A composite of the 4 pain items (a mean pain severity score) will also be computed (0 [no pain] - 10 [pain as bad as you can imagine])
Pain severity will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Change in pain interference from baseline to post-intervention to 1-month follow-up: Brief Pain Inventory
Time Frame: Pain interference will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Brief Pain Inventory (Cleeland, 1991): Pain interference items: A composite of the 7 interference items (a mean interference score) will be computed (0 [does not interfere] - 10 [completely interferes])
Pain interference will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in depression from baseline to post-intervention to 1-month follow-up
Time Frame: Depression will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
PROMIS Emotional Distress - Depression - Short Form 8a v1.0: A composite of the 8 depression items (a mean depression score) will be computed (1 [low depression score] - 5 [high depression score])
Depression will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Change in anxiety from baseline to post-intervention to 1-month follow-up
Time Frame: Anxiety will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
PROMIS Emotional Distress - Anxiety - Short Form 8a v1.0: A composite of the 8 anxiety items (a mean anxiety score) will be computed (1 [low anxiety score] - 5 [high anxiety score])
Anxiety will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Change in perceived chronic pain social support from baseline to post-intervention to 1-month follow-up
Time Frame: Perceived chronic pain social support will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Diabetes Support Scale (Barrera, 2002), adapted for chronic pain: A summed score of the 12 support items will be computed (12-84, higher scores indicate greater support)
Perceived chronic pain social support will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Change in anger from baseline to post-intervention to 1-month follow-up
Time Frame: Anger will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
PROMIS Anger - Short Form 5a v1.1: A composite of the 5 anger items (a mean anger score) will be computed (1 [low anger score] - 5 [high anger score])
Anger will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Change in self-efficacy for managing pain: PROMIS Self-Efficacy for Managing Symptoms v1.0
Time Frame: Self-efficacy for managing pain will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
PROMIS Self-Efficacy for Managing Symptoms v1.0 (10 items from the larger 30-item measure, adapted for self-efficacy for managing pain): A composite of the 10 self-efficacy items (a mean self-efficacy score) will be computed (1 [low self-efficacy score] - 5 [high self-efficacy score])
Self-efficacy for managing pain will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Change in helplessness
Time Frame: Helplessness will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Arthritis Helplessness Index (Nicassio et al., 1985), adapted for chronic pain: A summed score of the 15 helplessness items will be computed (15-60, higher scores indicate greater helplessness)
Helplessness will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Change in self-efficacy for managing emotions: PROMIS Self-Efficacy for Managing Emotions - Short Form 4a v1.0
Time Frame: Self-efficacy for managing emotions will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
PROMIS Self-Efficacy for Managing Emotions - Short Form 4a v1.0: A composite of the 4 self-efficacy items (a mean self-efficacy score) will be computed (1 [low self-efficacy score] - 5 [high self-efficacy score])
Self-efficacy for managing emotions will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Change in social isolation
Time Frame: Social isolation will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
PROMIS - Social Isolation - Short Form 8a v2.0: A composite of the 8 social isolation items (a mean social isolation score) will be computed (1 [low social isolation score] - 5 [high social isolation score])
Social isolation will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Change in pain catastrophizing: Pain Catastrophizing Scale
Time Frame: Pain catastrophizing will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Pain Catastrophizing Scale (Sullivan et al., 1995): A summed score of the 13 catastrophizing items will be computed (0-52, higher scores indicate greater catastrophizing)
Pain catastrophizing will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Change in alexithymia
Time Frame: Alexithymia will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20): A summed score of the 20 alexithymia items will be computed (20-100, higher scores indicate greater alexithymia)
Alexithymia will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Change in substance use
Time Frame: Substance use will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Substance use questionnaire: 4 question-set recommended by the NIAAA (adapted for the "past week"): 1) Frequency of drinking / opioid use / marijuana use (0 [never] - 5 [every day]), 2) Number of drinks (0 [no drinks] - 10 [25 or more drinks]), 3) Maximum drinks (0 [no drinks] - 10 [36 or more drinks], 4) Frequency of binge drinking (0 [never] - 5 [every day])
Substance use will be assessed at 3 timepoints: 1) baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention), 2. post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention), and 3. 1-month follow-up (30 days after the intervention ends)
Perceived emotional support within the Facebook group
Time Frame: Perceived emotional support within the Facebook group will be assessed at post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention)
PROMIS - Emotional Support - Short Form 8a, adapted for in-group support: A composite of the 8 emotional support items (a mean emotional support score) will be computed (1 [low emotional support score] - 5 [high emotional support score])
Perceived emotional support within the Facebook group will be assessed at post-intervention (i.e., immediately after the intervention)

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Ambivalence over emotional expression
Time Frame: Ambivalence over emotional expression will be assessed at baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention)
Ambivalence Over Emotional Expressiveness Questionnaire (King & Emmons, 1990): A composite of the 14 ambivalence items (a mean ambivalence score) will be computed (1 [low ambivalence score] - 5 [high ambivalence score])
Ambivalence over emotional expression will be assessed at baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention)
Perceived social constraints
Time Frame: Perceived social constraints will be assessed at baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention)
General Social Constraints Scale (Lepore & Ituarte, 1999): A summed score of the 15 social constraints items will be computed (15-60, higher scores indicate greater perceived social constraints)
Perceived social constraints will be assessed at baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention)
Childhood adverse events
Time Frame: Childhood adverse events will be assessed at baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention)
Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Questionnaire: A summed score of the 10 ACE items will be computed (0-10, higher scores indicate greater adverse childhood experiences)
Childhood adverse events will be assessed at baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention)
Attachment style
Time Frame: Attachment style will be assessed at baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention)
Experiences in Close Relationships Scale - Revised (ECR_R), avoidance items only (18 items): A composite of the 18 avoidance items (a mean avoidance score) will be computed (1 [low avoidance score] - 7 [high avoidance score])
Attachment style will be assessed at baseline (i.e., at the start of the intervention)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Wayne State University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 27, 2019

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 13, 2020

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 13, 2020

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 12, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 2, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 8, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 14, 2020

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 13, 2020

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 012119B3E

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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