Title: Feasibility and Acceptability of Pain Reprocessing Therapy in Racially/Ethnically Diverse Adults with Chronic Back Pain
Investigator: Yoni Ashar, PhD, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Overview: In most cases, peripheral tissue causes of chronic back pain (CBP) cannot be identified, and central nervous system processes are believed to play a prominent role. For this chronic pain subtype—termed primary chronic pain in the ICD-11—pain-related fear and avoidance are key maintenance factors. We recently developed a novel psychological treatment, Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), that employs cognitive and exposure-based techniques to reduce pain-related fear and avoidance and resolve primary CBP. The main aim of this proposal is to test the feasibility and acceptability of PRT in a diverse, low SES population. We will pilot an adapted form of PRT designed to address hypothesized barriers to treatment feasibility and acceptability, including medical mistrust.