Integrated PTSD and Chronic Pain Treatment

Part of paid clinical trials in New York, New York.

Sponsor
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Study ID
NCT07225049
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Integrated Treatment for PTSD and Chronic Pain — BEHAVIORAL
    The intervention consists of 12 90-minute virtual psychotherapy sessions scheduled twice per week. The treatment integrates modules from Prolonged Exposure and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain.

Study Details

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs in approximately 7% of adults in the general population. PTSD greatly impacts quality of life and often co-occurs with other conditions such as chronic pain. Individuals with co-morbid PTSD and chronic pain demonstrate higher PTSD symptoms and pain (as well as greater anxiety, depression, disability, and opioid use) compared to those with only one of those conditions. Gold standard treatments exist for both PTSD (e.g., Prolonged Exposure; PE) and chronic pain (e.g., Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain; CBT-CP) and are generally offered sequentially (i.e., one at a time for the condition that is most prominent). Treating these conditions separately may overlook their interconnected nature, which may reduce efficacy and increase dropout. Thus, there is a need for an intervention to target both simultaneously, which may be more effective and efficient than treating conditions sequentially. This is a single-arm pilot study to assess the feasibility and acceptability of an integrated treatment for adults with comorbid PTSD and chronic pain. The intervention consists of 12 90-minute virtual psychotherapy sessions scheduled twice per week. The treatment draws from modules in PE and CBT-CP including psychoeducation, exposure to feared/avoided situations and activities, processing of exposures, behavioral activation, breathing and relaxation techniques, sleep hygiene, symptom monitoring, and structured homework assignments. Baseline and post-treatment assessments will be conducted.

Key Dates

Start date
Dec 8, 2025
Status verified
Dec 2025
Primary completion
Aug 31, 2027
Completion
Aug 31, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment
20 participants (estimated)
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: Integrated PTSD and Chronic Pain Treatment
    Integrated treatment combining modules from Prolonged Exposure Therapy with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain

Primary Outcome Measure

Feasibility Indicator: Number of Participants Screened [ Time Frame: Baseline ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Weill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNew York10065
Mariel Emrich, MS
[email protected]
212-821-0783
JoAnn Difede, PhD (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)

Find similar trials in New York, NY

By condition
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
By specialty
PsychiatryMental healthBehavioral health
By research site
Weill Cornell Medicine· New York, NY

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