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Trauma-Informed Procedural Pain Intervention: Refinement of an Evidence-Based Protocol

NCT ID: NCT06705491Sponsor: University of LouisvilleLast updated: 2026-01-30

Summary

The Trauma-Informed Procedural Pain Intervention (TIPPI-R) has been developed as a standardized way to provide education and teach evidence-based strategies for managing pain and distress that may occur during pediatric cancer treatment. The purpose of this clinical trial study is to test how helpful TIPPI-R is in supporting children and families manage pain and distress during the initial stages of cancer treatment. The main questions this study aims to answer are: * Does TIPPI-R increase use of helpful pain coping strategies for pediatric cancer patients? * Does TIPPI-R help lower perceived pain intensity during initial stages of cancer treatment? * Does TIPPI-R increase patient and family confidence in coping with pain and distress during cancer treatment? Researchers will compare pain experiences and use of pain coping strategies for families who receive the TIPPI-R intervention and families who receive standard of care to see if TIPPI-R decrease pain and distress during the initial stages of cancer treatment. Participants will: * Complete surveys to measure pain and distress within 5 weeks of initial diagnosis (Time 1) * Either receive the TIPPI-R intervention or standard of care * Complete surveys to measure pain and distress 4 weeks after initial consent or TIPPI-R intervention delivery (Time 2)

Arms & interventions

  • BehavioralTIPPI-R

    The TIPPI-R intervention protocol consists of a one session, during which time the interventionist offers psychoeducation related to the following content areas: procedural pain related to oncology treatment, factors that may affect the perception of pain, evidenced-based tools for assessing and monitoring pain, cognitive and behavioral pain management interventions, and resources to facilitate family to advocacy for pain management in a medical setting. During this session, the interventionist discusses opportunities for families to utilize skills throughout treatment, and addresses family questions as needed. A follow-up session 4 weeks after the initial intervention session will assess family knowledge and skills and offer a referral for a mental health provider, if further pain management support is needed. TIPPI-R is designed to be delivered by a psychologist, psychology trainee, or social worker working in the oncology context.

Outcome measures

Primary

  • Pain Coping Strategies

    Families who receive TIPPI-R will report greater use of adaptive pain coping strategies than families in the standard of care condition. This is measured by Survey of Pain Management Practices, Pain Coping Questionnaire-Short Form (Parent and Child), and data abstraction from medical charts. The Survey of Pain Management Practices indicates how often pain management strategies are used over the past 7 days (or since diagnosis). Frequencies are rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (never) to 5 (always). Scores are calculated by summing the number of strategies used, with higher scores indicating greater frequency of use of adaptive coping strategies. The Pain Coping Questionnaire-Short Form (Child and Parent version) is a 16-item measure to assess how children cope with pain. Items are ranked on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (never) to 5 (very often). A mean scale score is calculated for each subscale, with higher scores indicating more of the measured construct.

    Time frame: Pain coping strategies will be assessed at baseline (Time 1) and again approximately 4-6 weeks after being consented (Time 2).

Secondary

  • Perceived Pain Intensity

    Time frame: Perceived pain intensity will be assessed at baseline (Time 1) and again approximately 4-6 weeks after being consented (Time 2).

  • Pain Catastrophizing

    Time frame: Pain catastrophizing will be assessed at baseline (Time 1) and again approximately 4-6 weeks after being consented (Time 2).

  • Confidence Managing Pain and Distress

    Time frame: Confidence managing pain and distress will be assessed at baseline and again approximately 4-6 weeks after being consented (Time 2).

  • Distress

    Time frame: Distress will be assessed at baseline and again approximately 4-6 weeks after being consented (Time 2).

Eligibility criteria

Sex: AllAge: Up to 18 YearsHealthy volunteers: No
Inclusion Criteria: * Patient is receiving treatment at Norton Children's Cancer Institute, Norton Children's Hospital, University of Kentucky Children's Hospital or DanceBlue Clinic. * Patient has been diagnosed with an oncology diagnosis. * Patient and family are English-speaking. * Patient is between the ages 0-18. Exclusion Criteria: * Families not proficient in English. * Patient is 19 years or older. * Patient is not receiving treatment at Norton Children's Cancer Institute, Norton Children's Hospital, University of Kentucky Children's Hospital or DanceBlue Clinic. * Patient does not have an oncology diagnosis. * Patient and family have any CPS involvement.

Study locations (4)

UK DanceBlue Pediatric Hematology & Oncology

Lexington, Kentucky, 40508

Recruiting
Meghan Marsac, PhD · Contact

Kentucky Children's Hospital

Lexington, Kentucky, 40536

Recruiting
Meghan Marsac, PhD · Contact

Norton Children's Cancer Institute

Louisville, Kentucky, 40202

Recruiting
Lauren R Hayes, PhD · Contact

Norton Children's Hospital

Louisville, Kentucky, 40202

Recruiting
Lauren R Hayes, PhD · Contact

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