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NCT Number: NCT05698290

HELP Pain Training Program

The aim of this project is to develop and test the Helping Educators Learn Pediatric Pain Assessment & Intervention Needs (HELP Pain) program. HELP Pain provides training for school providers (e.g., school nurses, mental health professionals) on strategies to assess and manage pain-related concerns in school children. Participants will learn cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to help school children manage pain, and report on their use of strategies, and child's progress throughout the school year. Follow-up data will be collected in year 2.

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This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

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Key information

Conditions

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

Age range

18 year–100 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Michigan State University

Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503, United States

About this study

Chronic pain is common among school children, and impacts social, emotional and academic functioning. School providers are often tasked with addressing student pain, but may have limited training in evidence-based pain management strategies. Thus, the PI developed a training program, HELP Pain, to train school providers, such as school nurses and mental health professionals, in cognitive behavioral therapy strategies for addressing student pain. In this study, the feasibility and acceptability of the training program will be evaluated. Provider knowledge will be evaluated before and after receiving the HELP Pain training. Further, the use of HELP Pain strategies with students and their associated disability and pain outcomes will be evaluated. Results will help to tailor the HELP Pain training program for future use.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • engaged as a school provider in Michigan

Treatment and study plan

HELP Pain Training Program

Other

A training program to teach school providers nonpharmacologic (e.g., cognitive behavioral and mindfulness meditation) strategies to use with students with pain symptoms.

Primary outcomes

  1. Feasibility - Qualitative report

    Time frame: 9 months

    Implementation success of the program measured by a semi-structured qualitative interview method which addresses feasibility.

  2. Acceptability - Qualitative report

    Time frame: 9 months

    Implementation success of the program measured by a semi-structured qualitative interview method which addresses acceptability.

  3. Appropriateness - Qualitative report

    Time frame: 9 months

    Implementation success of the program measured by a semi-structured qualitative interview method which addresses appropriateness.

  4. Implementation Success - Quantitative report

    Time frame: 9 months

    Twelve psychometrically validated items to assess program implementation success, will be administered after training. Providers will rate items with responses using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Knowledge

    Time frame: 9 months

    Knowledge quiz scores before and after training, 0-20, where 20 indicates higher knowledge.

  2. Fidelity

    Time frame: 9 months, 2 years

    Self-reported use of HELP Pain strategies with students via online survey.

  3. Self-report Knowledge

    Time frame: 9 months

    Self-reported agreeableness using a 5-point Likert scale from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5) to 3 statements indicating knowledge from the program.

Other outcomes

  1. Child Functional Disability Inventory (FDI)

    Time frame: 9 months, 2 years

    Administration of the FDI to students is optional. The FDI is used to assess impairment due to pain over the past several days, and uses a Likert scale (0-4) to result in a score 0-60, where 60 implies decreased functioning.

  2. Child Pain Ratings - Numerical Scale

    Time frame: 9 months, 2 years

    Administration of the child pain ratings to students is optional. Highest, lowest, average and current pain over the past week are reported by a child to the provider using a numerical scale. The numerical scale is 0-10, with 10 indicating worse pain.

  3. Child Pain Ratings - Faces Scale

    Time frame: 9 months, 2 years

    Administration of the child pain ratings to students is optional. Highest, lowest, average and current pain over the past week are reported by a child to the provider using a faces scale. The faces scale contains 6 faces with scores of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 respectively from left to right, where the rightmost face or score of 10 indicates worse pain.

  4. Child School Attendance

    Time frame: 9 months, 2 years

    Reporting of a child's school attendance is optional. School attendance, late arrivals, and early dismissal in one month (due to pain or other reasons), and school nurse visits for pain or other reasons (scheduled and unscheduled) as reported by the school provider specific to a child.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Michigan State University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Engaging School Providers to Manage Student Pain in Michigan Schools

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jan 26, 2023
Registry last updated
Apr 13, 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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