Feasibility RCT of Online ACT for Chronic Abdominal Pain
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial of Online Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Chronic Abdominal Pain
IRAS ID
248751
Contact name
Yoram Inspector
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 0 days
Research summary
Chronic abdominal pain (CAP) has a significant personal and social impact. The aetiologies of CAP include conditions with a clear anatomical, physiological, or metabolic cause, as well as those without. CAP is among the most common complaints in primary care, and has been consistently identified as the most common symptom prompting an outpatient clinic visit. Conditions of chronic abdominal distress and pain are associated with depression, anxiety, and decreased quality of life. Abdominal pain can lead to substantial health care costs.
Psychological treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) have been widely used in CAP related conditions, and showed effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. However, it is unknown if internet-based CBT is beneficial for people with CAP.
The current trial will explore the feasibility of a newly developed form of online CBT called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for people with CAP. Participants will be recruited primarily from gastroenterology and dietetics clinics, and the psychological unit of a specialist bowel hospital in London, UK. Participants will be randomly chosen to receive their usual treatment (TAU) plus CAP education or ACT plus CAP education. The treatment lasts for 8 weeks. Participants will complete self-report questionnaires to assess pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, functioning, and mood at the beginning of the study and three months later.
We are interested in determining how well we can recruit participants and keep them in the trial, whether participants complete the new treatment as intended, and their satisfaction with the treatment. We are also interested in estimating how well participants who receive ACT are functioning compared to those who receive only CAP education. Results from this study will help us determine whether a larger study to test whether the new treatment works is feasible and to determine the procedures for that study.
REC name
London - Brent Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/2021
Date of REC Opinion
20 Dec 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion