An Online Acceptance and Mindfulness Intervention for Chronic Pain in Veterans: Development and Protocol for a Pilot Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial
JMIR Research Protocols March 7, 2023 E. Reilly, U. Kathawalla, Hannah E Robins et al.
This paper describes the development and planned evaluation of an online acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) program for chronic pain in veterans, guided by an embodied conversational agent. The program, called Veteran ACT for Chronic Pain (VACT-CP), aims to improve pain management and functioning. The study includes three phases: expert consultation and provider interviews, usability testing with veterans, and a pilot feasibility randomized controlled trial comparing VACT-CP (n=20) to a waitlist and treatment-as-usual control (n=20). The primary outcome is usability; secondary outcomes include treatment satisfaction, pain outcomes, ACT processes, and mental and physical functioning. Recruitment began in April 2022, with data collection expected to complete by October 2023.