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PTSDNCT07225049

Integrated PTSD and Chronic Pain Treatment

A study testing Integrated Treatment for PTSD and Chronic Pain in people with PTSD and Chronic Pain, run by Weill Medical College of Cornell University at 1 site in United States.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

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. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
PTSD, Chronic Pain
What is being tested?
Integrated Treatment for PTSD and Chronic Pain
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
20 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
8 Dec 2025to Aug 2027
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • 18 years or older
  • English-speaking
  • Currently meets criteria for PTSD, assessed by the CAPS-5 (any trauma type) - Chronic pain, assessed by greater than or equal to 4 on a scale of 0-10 pain severity over the past 3 months
  • Medically stable at the time of study enrollment (chronic illness and disability does not prevent attendance of outpatient therapy sessions)
  • Stable on psychotropic medication for past 60 days
  • Agreed to not change current medication or pain-related treatments over the course of the study unless medically necessary
  • Must be located in the state of New York for virtual assessments and treatment sessions

Who cannot join

  • Lifetime diagnosis of schizophrenia, other psychotic disorder, or bipolar I disorder
  • Participation in concurrent evidence-based psychological treatment for PTSD or chronic pain during the past 3 months
  • Participants must not participate in an evidence-based psychological treatment for either PTSD or pain during the course of the study.
  • Moderate or severe substance use in the past 90 days
  • Cognitive impairment to the degree that the patient cannot provide informed consent or fill out assessment measures
  • Participants who in the PI's judgement pose a current homicidal or suicidal risk

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Mariel Emrich, MS contact

212-821-0783

mae2050@med.cornell.edu

United States1 site, 1 recruiting
  • Weill Cornell Medicine

    New York, New York, 10065

    Mariel Emrich, MS, 212-821-0783, mae2050@med.cornell.edu

    JoAnn Difede, PhD

    Recruiting

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Pilot of an Integrated Treatment for Comorbid PTSD and Chronic Pain

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.

Conditions
PTSD, Chronic Pain
Being tested
Integrated Treatment for PTSD and Chronic Pain
Keywords
PTSD, Chronic Pain, Integrated Treatment, Comorbidity, Prolonged Exposure, CBT for Chronic Pain, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain
Medical subject headings
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Chronic Pain

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Integrated Treatment for PTSD and Chronic PainBehavioural

    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 groups in NCT07225049
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Integrated PTSD and Chronic Pain TreatmentExperimentalIntegrated treatment combining modules from Prolonged Exposure Therapy with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain
Receives: Behavioral: Integrated Treatment for PTSD and Chronic Pain

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Feasibility Indicator: Number of Participants Screened

    Feasibility assessment will include number of participants screened defined as number of individuals who complete our initial eligibility screener.

    Measured: Baseline

  2. Feasibility Indicator: Enrollment

    Feasibility assessment will include enrollment defined as number of participants signing the informed consent form.

    Measured: Baseline

  3. Feasibility Indicator: Number of Sessions Attended

    Feasibility assessment will include the number of sessions attended on average (out of 12).

    Measured: Post-Treatment Assessment at approximately 6 weeks

  4. Feasibility Indicator: Attrition Percentage

    A feasibility measure of attrition will be assessed by examining the percent of individuals who did not complete all 12 intervention sessions.

    Measured: Post-Treatment Assessment at approximately 6 weeks

  5. Feasibility Indicator: Number of Assessments Attended

    A feasibility indicator of number of assessments (baseline and post-treatment) attended will be measured.

    Measured: Baseline and Post-Treatment Assessment at approximately 6 weeks

  6. Feasibility Indicator: Percentage of Self-Reports Completed

    Self-reports are administered at each assessment (baseline and post-intervention) as well as every other treatment session (every 2 weeks up to 12 weeks). Therefore, there are 8 total self-report assessments and the percentage of those completed will be calculated.

    Measured: Baseline, Post-Intervention at approximately 6 weeks, Every Other Treatment Session (Every 2 weeks up to 12 weeks)

  7. Intervention Satisfaction

    Intervention satisfaction will be rated with a Likert scale ranging from 1-10 with greater scores indicating higher satisfaction.

    Measured: Post-Treatment Assessment at approximately 6 weeks

  8. Intervention Acceptability

    Intervention acceptability will be measured on a Likert scale ranging from 1-10 with greater scores indicating higher acceptability.

    Measured: Post-Treatment Assessment at approximately 6 weeks

  9. Qualitative Intervention Feedback

    Open-ended questions that include assessing overall impressions of treatment, feedback on the frequency and length of sessions, challenges or barriers, likelihood of recommending this treatment to a friend, and comparison of this treatment to other treatments received in the past.

    Measured: Post-Treatment Assessment at approximately 6 weeks

Secondary outcomes (17)
  1. Change in Score on the Clinician Administered PTSD Score (CAPS-5)

    Change in Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) Score. Total Scores range from 0-80. Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.

    Measured: Baseline to approximately 6 weeks

  2. Change in Score on the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)

    The well-validated PCL-5 will assess self-reported PTSD symptom severity. Scores range from 0-80. Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.

    Measured: Baseline to approximately 6 weeks

  3. Change in Score on the Pain Severity Subscale of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI)

    Pain severity is a 4-item subscale with ranges from 0-10. Greater scores indicate higher pain severity.

    Measured: Baseline to approximately 6 weeks

  4. Change in Score on the Pain Interference Subscale of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI)

    Pain interference is a 7-item subscale with ranges from 0-10. Greater scores indicate greater pain interference.

    Measured: Baseline to approximately 6 weeks

  5. Change in Score on the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS)

    The 13-item PCS measure has scores ranging from 0-52, with higher scores indicating greater pain catastrophizing. Three subscales (rumination, magnification, and helplessness) are summed to form the total score.

    Measured: Baseline to approximately 6 weeks

  6. Change in Score on the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ)

    This 20-item measure results in a total score ranging from 0-120 with high scores reflecting greater acceptance of pain. Two subscales (activity engagement and pain willingness) are summed to create the total score.

    Measured: Baseline to approximately 6 weeks

  7. Change in Score on the Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory (PTCI)

    The 33-item PTCI yields three subscores: negative cognitions about the self, negative cognitions about the world, and self-blame. Items are averaged so the range of scores for each subscale is 0-7 with higher scores representing more maladaptive cognitions. A total score is calculated by summing each of the 33 items yielding a score between 33-231, with higher scores indicating more maladaptive cognitions.

    Measured: Baseline to approximately 6 weeks

  8. Change in Score on the Fear-Avoidance Components Scale (FACS)

    This 20-item measure results in total scores ranging from 0-100, with greater scores indicating more severe fear-avoidance beliefs.

    Measured: Baseline to approximately 6 weeks

  9. Change in Score on the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI-3)

    This 18-item measure results in a total score ranging from 0-72 with higher scores reflecting greater anxiety sensitivity. Three subscales (physical concerns, cognitive concerns, and social concerns) are summed to create a total score.

    Measured: Baseline to approximately 6 weeks

  10. Change in Score on the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST)

    The ASSIST is a questionnaire that screens for all levels of problem or risky substance use in adults including tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, amphetamine-type stimulants, inhalants, sedatives, hallucinogens, opioids, and other drugs. A score for each substance ranges from 0-39 with higher scores indicating greater problems or risks related to substance use. A total score is not computed and instead, each substance will be analyzed individually.

    Measured: Baseline to approximately 6 weeks

  11. Change in Score on the Expectancies for Alcohol Analgesia (EAA) Measure

    The EAA is a 5-item scale. Items are summed to generate a total score ranging from 0-45 with higher scores indicating greater expectancy for alcohol analgesia.

    Measured: Baseline to approximately 6 weeks

  12. Change in Score on the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-18)

    This 18-item measure results in a total score ranging from 18-90 with higher scores reflecting greater difficulties with emotion regulation.

    Measured: Baseline to approximately 6 weeks

  13. Change in Score on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)

    The PHQ-9 scores range from 0-27. Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.

    Measured: Baseline to approximately 6 weeks

  14. Change in Score on the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)

    7 item self-report measure. Total scores range from 0-28, with higher scores indicating higher insomnia severity.

    Measured: Baseline to approximately 6 weeks

  15. Change in Score on the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA-2)

    This is a 37-item measure that results in 8 subscales: noticing, not-distracting, not-worrying, attention regulation, emotional awareness, self-regulation, body listening, and trust. Each subscale ranges from 0-5, where higher scores reflect more awareness of bodily sensations. A total score is not computed, and instead, each subscale is analyzed individually.

    Measured: Baseline to approximately 6 weeks

  16. Change in Score on the Quality of Life Inventory (QOLI)

    The assessment yields an overall score and profile in 16 areas of life; health, self-esteem, goals and values, money, work, play, learning, creativity, helping, love, friends, children, relatives, home, neighborhood, and community. Subscales are computed by multiplying satisfaction (-3 to +3) by importance (0 to 2) and resulting scores are averaged to yield a total score ranging from -6 to +6, with higher scores indicate higher level of quality of life.

    Measured: Baseline to approximately 6 weeks

  17. Change in Score on the Religious and Spiritual Struggles Scale (RSS-5)

    This is a 5-item questionnaire measuring the extent to which one experiences conflict or struggle with spirituality or religious faith. Each item is rated on a scale from 1 (Not at All) to 5 (A Great Deal), thus higher scores indicate more spiritual struggle.

    Measured: Baseline to approximately 6 weeks

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted5 Nov 2025
  2. Study start8 Dec 2025
  3. Primary completionAug 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completionAug 2027 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
20 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07225049
Sponsor's protocol ID
25-01028464
Status last verified
Jun 2026
First submitted
27 Oct 2025
Last updated
15 Jun 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Integrated Treatment for PTSD and Chronic Pain in people with PTSD and Chronic Pain, run by Weill Medical College of Cornell University at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 7 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 15 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Mariel Emrich, MS (212-821-0783, mae2050@med.cornell.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Feasibility Indicator: Number of Participants Screened (time frame: Baseline). The study lists 9 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 15 Jun 2026.

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