Therapeutic Writing for Adults Suffering From Chronic Pain and Comorbid Mental Health Disorders

Официальное название

Therapeutic Writing Intervention in Pain Rehabilitation

Обзор

The goal of this observational study is to understand the effects and experiences of therapeutic writing interventions in adult women with chronic pain and co-occurring mental health conditions. The main questions it aims to answer are: Can therapeutic writing help relieve chronic pain and emotional distress? How does writing support emotional processing, regulation, and meaning-making during rehabilitation? Participants will take part in a two-part writing intervention involving: Guided writing exercises that focus on emotional processing, emotion regulation, and creating meaning. Individual interviews after the writing sessions to explore their experiences. The study uses qualitative analysis methods-phenomenology and logotherapy-to better understand how these writing interventions may support recovery, improve well-being, and offer non-pharmacological tools for managing chronic pain and mental health challenges.

Подробное описание

Chronic pain affects approximately 20% of the global population and represents one of the most widespread causes of disability worldwide. Individuals living with chronic pain often experience additional mental health challenges-such as depression, anxiety, or trauma-related disorders-which compound their suffering and reduce quality of life. Traditional pain management strategies often focus on physical symptoms, while the emotional and psychological dimensions may remain under-addressed.

This study aims to explore the potential of therapeutic writing-a psychological intervention that encourages participants to express and process emotions through guided writing exercises-as a complementary approach for improving health and well-being in individuals with both chronic pain and mental health conditions.

The study is being conducted at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of Satasairaala Hospital in Finland and involves five adult female participants with chronic pain and comorbid psychiatric conditions. Each participant will engage in a two-part writing intervention that incorporates techniques grounded in emotional processing, emotion regulation, and meaning-making. These exercises are designed to help individuals articulate their internal experiences, explore the personal impact of pain and illness, and foster a sense of psychological coherence.

Data collection spans two sub-studies:

Sub-studies 1 and 2 involve qualitative interviews with participants following the intervention, capturing their firsthand experiences and perceived effects.

The qualitative data will be analyzed using a multi-method approach, combining phenomenological analysis-which highlights the participants' lived experiences-and logotherapy-informed analysis, which examines how therapeutic writing supports the search for meaning during rehabilitation. This dual approach provides a comprehensive view of how narrative expression may influence recovery pathways.

The ultimate goal is to identify writing-based strategies that can complement clinical care for this patient population and inform future updates to rehabilitation programs and treatment guidelines-both locally and nationally. If proven beneficial, therapeutic writing could serve as an accessible, cost-effective, and non-pharmacological tool to enhance holistic pain care and mental health support.

Вмешательства

• Другое Therapeutic Writing Intervention in Pain Rehabilitation
  The therapeutic writing intervention is designed to support emotional processing and regulation in individuals with chronic pain and comorbid mental health disorders. It has been developed specifically for use in a clinical rehabilitation setting and is delivered in two phases over a four-week period at the Pain Clinic of Satasairaala Hospital. Sessions are conducted in person, with clinical staff available to support participants. The intervention is non-pharmacological, low-risk, and integrate

Первичные конечные точки

• Health-Related Experiences of Participants [Срок оценки: Baseline (prior to intervention), immediately post-intervention (Week 5), and 3 months post-intervention (Week 17)]

Вторичные конечные точки (2)

• Perceived Impact on Emotion Regulation [Срок оценки: Baseline (prior to intervention), immediately post-intervention (Week 5), and 3 months post-intervention (Week 17)]
• Themes of Meaning-Making and Future Orientation Identified Through Qualitative Interview Analysis [Срок оценки: Baseline (prior to intervention), immediately post-intervention (Week 5), and 3 months post-intervention (Week 17)]

Критерии участия

Критерии включения

• Adult women (18 years or older), assigned female at birth and self-identify as women
• Diagnosed with or experience of chronic, widespread (non-cancer) pain lasting at least two years
• Diagnosed with or living with one or more mild mental health disorders (e.g., anxiety, mild depression), without current or past severe psychiatric conditions
• Diagnosed with or experience of nociplastic pain (e.g., fibromyalgia)
• Not currently using medications that may impair cognitive functioning (e.g., benzodiazepines, anticholinergics, opioids, antipsychotics)
• Able to attend approximately 11 in-person visits over a 3-month period
• Willing and able to participate in a structured therapeutic writing intervention
• Purposefully selected to reflect a range of lived experiences relevant to the study's aims

Критерии исключения

• Presence of severe mental health disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression, or other psychotic conditions)
• Use of medications known to impair memory, attention, or decision-making (e.g., benzodiazepines, anticholinergics, opioids, antipsychotics)
• Participation in other concurrent treatments that may influence study outcomes
• Cognitive limitations that would hinder meaningful engagement in the writing intervention
• Individuals not assigned female at birth or who do not identify as women

Критерии приведены из реестра в оригинале (на английском). Окончательную оценку соответствия проводит исследовательский центр.

Здоровые добровольцы: Нет

Дизайн исследования

Распределение

Не применимо

Модель

Одна группа

Маскирование

Открытое

Основная цель

Лечение

Центры проведения

Финляндия · 1 центр

• Satasairaala Hospital, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Pain Clinic — Pori

Идентификаторы

NCT: NCT07058532 · R25034

Первоисточники (государственные реестры)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (NIH, США)

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