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NCT Number: NCT07755540

Group Music Therapy for Chronic Pain Management in Active Duty Service Members: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled trial will evaluate the effectiveness of an 8-week group music therapy intervention for active duty service members with chronic pain. Participants will be randomized to either a group music therapy intervention plus standard care or standard care alone. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, post- treatment (8 weeks), and 1-month follow-up. Primary outcomes include pain interference and pain intensity. Secondary outcomes include pain-related self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, positive affect, sleep disturbance, patient perception of change, and pain medication use. Qualitative interviews will be conducted with a subset of participants who receive music therapy to explore subjective experiences and perceived treatment benefits.

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Key information

Conditions

Chronic Pain Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year–64 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2

Primary location

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER)

Anchorage, Alaska, 99505, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Earl J Banning, PsyD

CONTACT

[email protected]

9075800014

Earl J Banning, PsyD

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

About this study

Chronic pain is a significant health concern among military personnel and veterans and is associated with disability and reduced quality of life. Music therapy is a non-pharmacological intervention that may address biological, psychological, and social factors contributing to chronic pain.

This mixed-methods research study embeds qualitative inquiry within a randomized controlled trial. A total of 130 active duty service members with chronic pain will be randomized 1:1 to either an 8-week group music therapy intervention plus standard care or standard care alone. The music therapy intervention consists of eight weekly 75-minute sessions delivered in groups of 6-8 participants and includes music-guided breathing, music-based relaxation exercises, group improvisation, verbal processing, listening to meaningful music, and instruction in music-based pain self-management strategies.

Primary outcomes are pain interference and pain intensity. Secondary outcomes include pain-related self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, positive affect, sleep disturbance, patient global impression of change, disability, and pain medication use. Outcomes will be evaluated at baseline, week 8, and 1-month follow-up. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with approximately 20 participants from the music therapy arm after follow-up assessment to explore treatment experiences and perceived benefits

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Active duty service member
  • Age 18 -64 years of age
  • Diagnosis of chronic benign pain for at least 3 months
  • Average pain severity greater than 4/10 on the Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale
  • Able to read and understand English

Exclusion criteria

  • Pregnancy
  • Mental health conditions that would prevent compliance with or productive participation in group sessions
  • Cognitive impairment preventing completion of study measures
  • Malignant disease
  • Progressive neurological disorder
  • Moderate to profound hearing impairment not corrected with hearing aids
  • Previous participation in music therapy services at JBER

Treatment and study plan

Music intervention

Behavioral

An 8-week standardized music therapy protocol delivered in weekly 75-minute group sessions. The intervention is guided by a biopsychosocial framework and includes music-guided breathing, relaxation exercises, group improvisation, processing of music experiences, meaningful music listening, and home practice of music-based pain management skills.

Other names: Group Music Therapy

Primary outcomes

  1. Pain Intensity

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8, and 1-Month Follow-Up as well as pre and post- session

    As measured by Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS)

  2. Pain Interference

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8, and 1-Month Follow-Up

    As measured by PROMIS Pain Interference 8-item Scale

Secondary outcomes

  1. Pain-related self-efficacy

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8, 1-Month Follow-Up

    As measured by 6-item University of Washington Pain Related Self-Efficacy Scale

  2. Depression

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8, 1-Month Follow-Up

    As measured by 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire scale (PHQ-9)

  3. Anxiety

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8, 1-Month Follow-Up

    As measured by 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7)

  4. Positive Well-Being

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8, 1-Month Follow-Up

    As measured by 14-item Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well- Being Scale (WEMWBS)

  5. Sleep Disturbance

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8, 1-Month Follow-Up

    As measured by 8-item PROMIS® Sleep disturbance SF-8a

  6. Disability

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8, 1-Month Follow-Up

    As measured by 10-item Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)

  7. Patient Perception of Change

    Time frame: Week 8, 1-Month Follow-Up

    As measured by The Patient Global Impression of Change Scale (PGIC)

  8. Pain Medication Use

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8, 1-Month Follow-Up

    Medication use from participant daily reports for 7 days

Other outcomes

  1. Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms (Moderator)

    Time frame: Baseline

    As measured by PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Joke Bradt, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

2673595508

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine

Other

Collaborators

  • Drexel University
  • Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson

Registry information

Official study title

Group Music Therapy for Chronic Pain Management in Active Duty Service Members With Chronic Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2028
Study completion
2028
First posted
Aug 10, 2026
Registry last updated
Aug 10, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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