CI

At a glance

ClinicalIndex Comparison Record
N/ACompleted· 1,462 enrolled
Drug / intervention
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy +2 morebehavioral
Likely dose
Not stated in record
Structured eligibility isn't available for this trial yet — see the full criteria in the Eligibility tab below.

Standardized by ClinicalIndex from the ClinicalTrials.gov record · verify against the source.

Search/NCT03445988
NCT03445988N/ACompleted

Comparative Effectiveness of Pain Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Chronic Pain Self-Management Within the Context of Opioid Reduction: The EMPOWER Study

Stanford University·interventional·Posted Feb 26, 2018·Updated Mar 24, 2025

In Brief

A clinical study evaluating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Chronic Pain Self Management Program, and 1 other intervention for Chronic Pain. Completed, enrolled 1,462 participants across 1 site.

Detailed Summary

The proposed study will fill several critical gaps in evidence that are preventing patients and physicians from making informed decisions about their pain care. This project will provide patients taking opioids and physicians with the specific evidence they need to choose the most effective route to pain control, reduced pain interference, opioid reduction, and improved role function, thereby improving patient care. The aims of this study are to (1) reduce or contain prescription opioid use while maintaining pain control and (2) compare the effectiveness of the Chronic Pain Self-Management Program (CPSMP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for chronic pain (pain-CBT), and no behavioral treatment within the context of patient-centered collaborative opioid tapering (Taper Only). The acronym EMPOWER stands for Effective Management of Pain and Opioid-Free Ways to Enhance Relief.

Study Details

Study Typeinterventional
Allocation--
Masking--
Primary Purpose--
ConditionsChronic Pain
CountriesUnited States

Timeline

N/ACompletedFinished
201820192020202120222023202420252026
First PostedFeb 26, 2018
Enrollment StartJul 24, 2018
Primary CompletionNov 6, 2023
TodayJul 2, 2026
Enrollment to primary: 5.3 yearsPosted 8.3 years ago

Interventions

Cognitive Behavioral Therapybehavioral

A trained psychologist delivers pain-CBT to individual patients or groups of patients with chronic pain. Group treatment is delivered across 8 weekly sessions that last for 2 hours each. Pain-CBT incorporates interactive discussion, practice of relaxation training, action planning, and home exercises into each session. Pain-CBT is effective for reducing pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, depression and social impacts.

Chronic Pain Self Management Programbehavioral

The CPSMP is similar to pain-CBT in format and content but is peer-led, and is effective across pain conditions (e.g., back pain, arthritis) for improving pain and pain self-efficacy. The CPSMP consists of six weekly 2-hour group sessions in which two peer co-leaders provide patient education about pain, effective self-management, pain impacts, and other symptoms from a highly structured manual. Similar to pain-CBT, CPSMP incorporates interactive discussion, practice of relaxation training, action planning, and home exercises into each session

Taper Onlyother

Participants allocated to 'Taper Only' will engage in a physician-guided, patient-centered opioid tapering program without additional behavioral intervention.