Feasibility and Acceptability of Music Therapy for Chronic Pain
FAMILIA
1 other identifier
interventional
60
1 country
1
Brief Summary
The purpose of the study is to examine the feasibility and acceptability of two music interventions delivered through telehealth for chronic musculoskeletal pain. This pilot study evaluates outcomes (feasibility, acceptability, pain and associated outcomes) in a single-component, minimally interactive music listening (ML) intervention and a multi-component, more interactive music imagery (MI) intervention.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P50-P75 for not_applicable chronic-pain
Started Sep 2021
Typical duration for not_applicable chronic-pain
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
Click on a node to explore related trials.
Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
Study Start
First participant enrolled
September 1, 2021
CompletedFirst Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
May 25, 2022
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
June 22, 2022
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
August 30, 2023
CompletedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
September 30, 2023
CompletedJuly 1, 2022
June 1, 2022
2 years
May 25, 2022
June 28, 2022
Conditions
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (2)
Percentage of contacted and eligible Veterans consent to study participation, attend intervention sessions, and complete the treatment protocol and scheduled outcome assessments?
Determine the feasibility of the music therapy interventions
at 3 months
Aspects of the interventions do Veterans perceive to be most/least helpful or most/least liked?
Assess participant acceptability of the music therapy interventions
at 3 months
Secondary Outcomes (11)
Numeric Rating Scale for Pain intensity
Baseline, 1, 3, and 4 months
Brief Pain Inventory - Pain interference subscale
Baseline, 1, 3, and 4 months
Brief Pain Catastrophizing Scale
Baseline, 1, 3, and 4 months
Centrality of Pain Scale
Baseline, 1, 3, and 4 months
Patient Global Impression of Change Scale
1,3 and 4 months
- +6 more secondary outcomes
Study Arms (3)
Music Imagery
EXPERIMENTALMI sessions will be delivered by board-certified music therapists with specialized training in MI and the study treatment protocol.The 8-session protocol has two stages. Stage 1 (sessions 1-4) is focused on learning to use music and imagery for self-regulation. Once the Veteran has demonstrated skill in using music for self-regulation, Stage 2 (sessions 5-8) shifts to identify and deepen their inner resources and how they can use those resources for self-care.
Music Listening
EXPERIMENTALFollowing a one-time meeting with a music therapist, an electronic playlist will be compiled for the Veteran to listen to during the 12-week treatment period.
Usual care
NO INTERVENTIONParticipants in the usual care arm (as is the case for MI and ML groups) may receive analgesics and non-pharmacological treatments (e.g., physical therapy) for their chronic musculoskeletal pain.
Interventions
Up to 30 participants will be randomized to receive 8 weekly Music Imagery sessions over 8-12 weeks.
Up to 15 participants will be randomized to independent music listening.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Chronic (\> 6 months) musculoskeletal pain of at least moderate severity (≥5 on 0-10 numeric scale)
- Access to a personal computer, tablet computer, and/or smartphone,
- Ability to pass technology assessment screen, and
- Not currently receiving music therapy services
You may not qualify if:
- Serious or unstable medical (e.g., Congestive Heart Failure, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) or psychiatric illness (e.g., psychosis, mania) or housing insecurity that could compromise study participation,
- Suicidal ideation with current intent/plan,
- Hearing or cognitive impairment that may interfere with music listening or abstract thinking needed for imagery work,
- Lack access to a personal computer, tablet computer, and/or smartphone,
- Unable to pass technology assessment screen, or
- Currently receiving music therapy services.
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (1)
Roudebush VA Medical Center
Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States
Related Publications (2)
Story KM, Wasmuth S, Belkiewitz JM, Whalen C, Robb SL, Bravata DM, Bair MJ. Military veterans' perspectives on using music to manage chronic pain: themes from the feasibility and acceptability of music imagery and listening interventions for analgesia study. Front Neurol. 2025 Aug 6;16:1613220. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1613220. eCollection 2025.
PMID: 40843263DERIVEDStory KM, Bravata DM, Robb SL, Wasmuth S, Slaven JE, Whitmire L, Barker B, Menen T, Bair MJ. Feasibility and Acceptability of Music Imagery and Listening Interventions for Analgesia: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2022 Sep 22;11(9):e38788. doi: 10.2196/38788.
PMID: 36136377DERIVED
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Matthew Bair
Roudebush VA Medical Center
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Maya Story
Roudebush VA Medical Center
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- SINGLE
- Who Masked
- OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
May 25, 2022
First Posted
June 22, 2022
Study Start
September 1, 2021
Primary Completion
August 30, 2023
Study Completion
September 30, 2023
Last Updated
July 1, 2022
Record last verified: 2022-06
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will not share