Chronic PainPOP SINGER RCTNCT07756541
POP SINGER Randomized Clinical Trial
A study testing Yoga and Music Therapy in people with Chronic Pain, run by University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Conduct a feasibility randomized controlled trial (N = 130, 65 per group) comparing the POPSINGER music therapy (MT) intervention to yoga. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Chronic Pain
- What is being tested?
- Yoga and Music Therapy
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 130 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 29 Jul 2026to 1 Aug 2028
- 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
- Adults aged 18 and older
- Reporting pain on most days per month for a duration of ≥3 months
- Independently ambulatory (i.e., able to walk 10 feet without a cane or walker)
- Willing to participate in the full scope of the program
- Access to internet, active email address, \& laptop, tablet, and/or PC with videoconferencing capabilities
- 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
- Able to read and understand English
Who cannot join
- Significant hearing and/or visual impairment
- Have had a major surgery (e.g., spine surgery, joint replacement) within the past 6 months
- Have a planned surgery within the next 6 months at the time of enrollment
- Unable to independently provide consent (i.e., no proxy consent)
- Active suicidal ideation
- Severe psychological comorbidity (e.g., psychosis, schizophrenia) that would prevent patient from engaging fully in intervention
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- Receiving active cancer treatment.
- Diagnosed with medical condition likely to be terminal within 24 weeks
- 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
- Currently receiving music therapy from a professional music therapist
- Currently engaged in regular weekly yoga practice
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University Hospitals
Cleveland, Ohio, 44106
Nita Hoxha, MBA, 216-286-6219, Nita.Hoxha@uhhospitals.org
Angelique Foss, CHES®, NBC-HWC, LPMT, MT-BC
About this study
Official title: 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.
- Conditions
- Chronic Pain
- Being tested
- Yoga, Music Therapy
- Keywords
- Chronic pain, Music Therapy, Yoga
- Medical subject headings
- Chronic Pain
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
YogaBehavioural
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.
Music TherapyBehavioural
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.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Yoga | Experimental | 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. Receives: Behavioral: Yoga |
| Music Therapy | Experimental | 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. Receives: Behavioral: Music Therapy |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Number of participants retained as measured by enrollment logs
A retention rate of ≥70% of recruited participants until the final survey time point.
Measured: 8 weeks from the first music therapy or yoga intervention
Number of sessions attended per participant as measured by attendance logs
An attendance rate of ≥11/16 sessions among ≥70% of retained participants.
Measured: 8 weeks from the first music therapy or yoga intervention
Number of participants completing follow-up measures as measured by data collection logs
A measure completion rate of ≥70% of follow-up measures among retained participants.
Measured: 8 weeks from the first music therapy or yoga intervention
Number of participants reporting daily music or yoga exercise use in REDCap exercise logs
≥60% of retained participants reporting use of music or yoga exercises at least once every other day.
Measured: 8 weeks from the first music therapy or yoga intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted10 Aug 2026
- Study start29 Jul 2026
- Primary completion1 Aug 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Aug 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Chronic PainStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 130 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Kulas Foundation
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Angelique Foss, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07756541
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY20260836
- Acronym
- POP SINGER RCT
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 6 Aug 2026
- Last updated
- 10 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 10 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Pain Management Optimized Through Patient-centered Multi-Session Group Music Therapy Within INteGrative sharEd progRamming: A Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07756541
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- POP SINGER RCT / STUDY20260836
- Conditions
- Chronic Pain
- Keywords
- Chronic pain, Music Therapy, Yoga
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 130 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University Hospitals Cleveland Medical CenterUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Kulas Foundation
- Study start
- 29 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Aug 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Aug 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 10 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Conduct a feasibility randomized controlled trial (N = 130, 65 per group) comparing the POPSINGER music therapy (MT) intervention to yoga.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Yoga | Experimental | Behavioral: YogaA 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. |
| Music Therapy | Experimental | Behavioral: Music TherapyA 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. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Adults aged 18 and older
- Reporting pain on most days per month for a duration of ≥3 months
- Independently ambulatory (i.e., able to walk 10 feet without a cane or walker)
- Willing to participate in the full scope of the program
- Access to internet, active email address, \& laptop, tablet, and/or PC with videoconferencing capabilities
Key exclusion criteria (11 listed)
- Significant hearing and/or visual impairment
- Have had a major surgery (e.g., spine surgery, joint replacement) within the past 6 months
- Have a planned surgery within the next 6 months at the time of enrollment
- Unable to independently provide consent (i.e., no proxy consent)
- Active suicidal ideation
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| YogaA 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. | Behavioural | Yoga |
| Music TherapyA 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. | Behavioural | Music Therapy |
Primary outcome
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.
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.
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.
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.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 10 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Yoga and Music Therapy in people with Chronic Pain, run by University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center 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 11 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 10 Aug 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 Nita Hoxha, MBA (216-286-6219, Nita.Hoxha@uhhospitals.org), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Number of participants retained as measured by enrollment logs (time frame: 8 weeks from the first music therapy or yoga intervention). The study lists 4 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 10 Aug 2026.