Culturally Adapted Pain Management for Indigenous Peoples (CAP-I)

April 8, 2026 updated by: Andrea K. Newman, University of California, San Diego

Culturally Adapted Pain Management for Indigenous Peoples in the Pacific Northwest (CAP-I)

The proposed study involves a randomized feasibility pilot trial of a culturally adapted psychological intervention for chronic pain for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) individuals receiving care for pain at the Portland Area Indian Health Service - Yakama Service Unit. The study will provide information on whether or not it is feasible to conduct a future fully-powered randomized controlled trial.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The prevalence of chronic pain is higher among American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) people than any other group in the United States. This proposed study aims to begin the process of developing a culturally-adapted psychological intervention for chronic pain among AI/AN individuals receiving care for pain at the Portland Area Indian Health Service - Yakama Service Unit. The K99 phase focused on the development of the intervention and the R00 entails a feasibility randomized pilot trial. The current study (i.e., the R00 phase) aims to assess the feasibility of conducting a future randomized controlled trial with the newly developed culturally-adapted psychological intervention for chronic pain.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

30

Phase

  • 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 Contact

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • at least 18 years of age
  • identify as AI/AN (or by another preferred name, such Native American, Native, and/or Indigenous)
  • have at least one diagnosis consistent with chronic pain and/or meet criteria for chronic pain diagnosis at enrollment (i.e., experience pain for > 50% in the past 3 months that interferes with daily functioning)
  • possess the ability to speak and understand English
  • have access to a mode of communication for contact, such as a telephone, for study purposes

Exclusion Criteria:

  • significant cognitive impairment
  • current uncontrolled serious psychological issues (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder)
  • active medical treatment for malignant conditions (e.g., cancer)
  • active suicidality with intent
  • active alcohol and/or substance abuse

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
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Active Treatment
Treatment is group-based and remote-based. Treatment groups will include 4-6 study participants. A total of 7 treatment sessions are delivered on a weekly basis. The treatment is an integration of evidence-based psychological tools for pain management and Indigenous healing practices.
The intervention is a "braiding" or integration of Indigenous, Western, and Eastern beliefs and practices. Pain management skills involve evidence-based psychological techniques of behavioral activation, mindfulness meditation, relaxation techniques, and cognitive restructuring. Indigenous healing practices related to pain involve land-based healing, reconnecting with community, spirituality, narrative sharing, journaling, and restoration of cultural practices (e.g., eating Native foods, ceremonies).
No Intervention: Treatment-as-usual
Study participants will proceed with their medical care as usual for chronic pain.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Recruitment
Time Frame: Until the end of the recruitment phase (once all study participants have been recruited, an estimated 1-2 years).
Successful recruitment is defined by the randomization of 30 study participants
Until the end of the recruitment phase (once all study participants have been recruited, an estimated 1-2 years).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Treatment adherence
Time Frame: From the start of treatment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks.
Treatment adherence will be successful if the average treatment adherence rate is at least 70%
From the start of treatment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks.
Treatment satisfaction
Time Frame: Post-treatment assessment, conducted after completion of the 7 weeks of treatment.
Treatment will be considered satisfactory if the mean on the Patient Global Assessment of Treatment Satisfaction questionnaire is 3 and above.
Post-treatment assessment, conducted after completion of the 7 weeks of treatment.
Cultural congruency
Time Frame: Post-treatment assessment, conducted after completion of the 7 weeks of treatment.
Cultural congruency of treatment will be considered successful if qualitative interviews suggest themes of cultural congruency
Post-treatment assessment, conducted after completion of the 7 weeks of treatment.

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Collaborators

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 (Estimated)

May 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 30, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

November 30, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 3, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 8, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

April 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 13, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 8, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 4R00MD017254 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

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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