POP SINGER Randomized Clinical Trial (POP SINGER RCT)

August 6, 2026 updated by: Angelique Foss, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

Pain Management Optimized Through Patient-centered Multi-Session Group Music Therapy Within INteGrative sharEd progRamming: A Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial

Conduct a feasibility randomized controlled trial (N = 130, 65 per group) comparing the POPSINGER music therapy (MT) intervention to yoga.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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.

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 (Estimated)

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.
130

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 Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Ohio
      • Cleveland, Ohio, United States, 44106
        • Recruiting
        • University Hospitals
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Angelique Foss, CHES®, NBC-HWC, LPMT, MT-BC
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Samuel N Rodgers-Melnick, PhD, MPH, LPMT, MT-BC

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Adults aged 18 and older
  2. Reporting pain on most days per month for a duration of ≥3 months
  3. Independently ambulatory (i.e., able to walk 10 feet without a cane or walker)
  4. Willing to participate in the full scope of the program
  5. Access to internet, active email address, & laptop, tablet, and/or PC with videoconferencing capabilities
  6. Have reliable access to a mobile device with an active data plan at home and is comfortable accessing the internet and their email with this device
  7. Able to read and understand English

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Significant hearing and/or visual impairment
  2. Have had a major surgery (e.g., spine surgery, joint replacement) within the past 6 months
  3. Have a planned surgery within the next 6 months at the time of enrollment
  4. Unable to independently provide consent (i.e., no proxy consent)
  5. Active suicidal ideation
  6. Severe psychological comorbidity (e.g., psychosis, schizophrenia) that would prevent patient from engaging fully in intervention
  7. Receiving active cancer treatment.
  8. Diagnosed with medical condition likely to be terminal within 24 weeks
  9. Either (a) active substance abuse of cocaine, heroin, cannabis, or alcohol or (b) unmanaged opioid use disorder diagnosis present within the EHR in the last 6 months
  10. Currently receiving music therapy from a professional music therapist
  11. Currently engaged in regular weekly yoga practice

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: Other
  • 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: Music Therapy
A board-certified music therapist will provide a total of 16 MT sessions (8 in-person and 8 virtual) that include education, social connection, and experiential music interventions. These sessions will focus on self-management of pain through evidenced-based MT interventions including music sharing, playlists using the iso-principle, music making, music and guided imagery, music and deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and adapted cardio drumming.
Behavioral: Music Therapy
A board-certified music therapist will provide a total of 16 MT sessions (8 in-person and 8 virtual) that include education, social connection, and experiential music interventions. These sessions will focus on self-management of pain through evidenced-based MT interventions including music sharing, playlists using the iso-principle, music making, music and guided imagery, music and deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and adapted cardio drumming.
Experimental: Yoga
A registered yoga therapist will lead a total of sixteen (16) 60 minute classes over 8 weeks, plus guidance and resources for weekly home practice. Each yoga practice includes postural awareness, breathing practices, physical postures, moving sequences, progressive relaxation, and mental focusing. Philosophical concepts are introduced in each class, including non-harming, gratitude, and self-compassion. Physical practices include standing, seated, and optional floor-based poses that focus on building strength, mobility, and balance. For each practice, a range of options are provided for individuals to select according to their level of physical function and comfort. Props for adapting poses include yoga blocks, straps, blankets, and chairs. Practices are introduced slowly over the 8-week program to ensure safe execution and facilitate self-efficacy.
Behavioral: Yoga
A registered yoga therapist will lead a total of sixteen (16) 60 minute classes over 8 weeks, plus guidance and resources for weekly home practice. Each yoga practice includes postural awareness, breathing practices, physical postures, moving sequences, progressive relaxation, and mental focusing. Philosophical concepts are introduced in each class, including non-harming, gratitude, and self-compassion. Physical practices include standing, seated, and optional floor-based poses that focus on building strength, mobility, and balance. For each practice, a range of options are provided for individuals to select according to their level of physical function and comfort. Props for adapting poses include yoga blocks, straps, blankets, and chairs. Practices are introduced slowly over the 8-week program to ensure safe execution and facilitate self-efficacy.

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
Number of participants retained as measured by enrollment logs
Time Frame: 8 weeks from the first music therapy or yoga intervention
A retention rate of ≥70% of recruited participants until the final survey time point.
8 weeks from the first music therapy or yoga intervention
Number of sessions attended per participant as measured by attendance logs
Time Frame: 8 weeks from the first music therapy or yoga intervention
An attendance rate of ≥11/16 sessions among ≥70% of retained participants.
8 weeks from the first music therapy or yoga intervention
Number of participants completing follow-up measures as measured by data collection logs
Time Frame: 8 weeks from the first music therapy or yoga intervention
A measure completion rate of ≥70% of follow-up measures among retained participants.
8 weeks from the first music therapy or yoga intervention
Number of participants reporting daily music or yoga exercise use in REDCap exercise logs
Time Frame: 8 weeks from the first music therapy or yoga intervention
≥60% of retained participants reporting use of music or yoga exercises at least once every other day.
8 weeks from the first music therapy or yoga 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.
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Kulas Foundation

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.
July 29, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
August 1, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
August 1, 2028

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).
August 6, 2026

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.
August 6, 2026

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.
August 10, 2026

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.
August 10, 2026

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.
August 6, 2026

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.
July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • STUDY20260836

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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