Trials / Not Yet Recruiting

Not Yet RecruitingNCT07058532

Therapeutic Writing for Adults Suffering From Chronic Pain and Comorbid Mental Health Disorders

Therapeutic Writing Intervention in Pain Rehabilitation

Status: Not Yet Recruiting
Phase: N/A
Study type: Interventional
Enrollment: 5 (estimated)

Sponsor: Toni Salikka · Academic / Other
Sex: Female
Age: 18 Years
Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of this observational study is to understand the effects and experiences of therapeutic writing interventions in adult women with chronic pain and co-occurring mental health conditions. The main questions it aims to answer are: Can therapeutic writing help relieve chronic pain and emotional distress? How does writing support emotional processing, regulation, and meaning-making during rehabilitation? Participants will take part in a two-part writing intervention involving: Guided writing exercises that focus on emotional processing, emotion regulation, and creating meaning. Individual interviews after the writing sessions to explore their experiences. The study uses qualitative analysis methods-phenomenology and logotherapy-to better understand how these writing interventions may support recovery, improve well-being, and offer non-pharmacological tools for managing chronic pain and mental health challenges.

Detailed description

Chronic pain affects approximately 20% of the global population and represents one of the most widespread causes of disability worldwide. Individuals living with chronic pain often experience additional mental health challenges-such as depression, anxiety, or trauma-related disorders-which compound their suffering and reduce quality of life. Traditional pain management strategies often focus on physical symptoms, while the emotional and psychological dimensions may remain under-addressed. This study aims to explore the potential of therapeutic writing-a psychological intervention that encourages participants to express and process emotions through guided writing exercises-as a complementary approach for improving health and well-being in individuals with both chronic pain and mental health conditions. The study is being conducted at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of Satasairaala Hospital in Finland and involves five adult female participants with chronic pain and comorbid psychiatric conditions. Each participant will engage in a two-part writing intervention that incorporates techniques grounded in emotional processing, emotion regulation, and meaning-making. These exercises are designed to help individuals articulate their internal experiences, explore the personal impact of pain and illness, and foster a sense of psychological coherence. Data collection spans two sub-studies: Sub-studies 1 and 2 involve qualitative interviews with participants following the intervention, capturing their firsthand experiences and perceived effects. The qualitative data will be analyzed using a multi-method approach, combining phenomenological analysis-which highlights the participants' lived experiences-and logotherapy-informed analysis, which examines how therapeutic writing supports the search for meaning during rehabilitation. This dual approach provides a comprehensive view of how narrative expression may influence recovery pathways. The ultimate goal is to identify writing-based strategies that can complement clinical care for this patient population and inform future updates to rehabilitation programs and treatment guidelines-both locally and nationally. If proven beneficial, therapeutic writing could serve as an accessible, cost-effective, and non-pharmacological tool to enhance holistic pain care and mental health support.

Conditions

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Therapeutic Writing Intervention in Pain Rehabilitation	The therapeutic writing intervention is designed to support emotional processing and regulation in individuals with chronic pain and comorbid mental health disorders. It has been developed specifically for use in a clinical rehabilitation setting and is delivered in two phases over a four-week period at the Pain Clinic of Satasairaala Hospital. Sessions are conducted in person, with clinical staff available to support participants. The intervention is non-pharmacological, low-risk, and integrated into the broader multidisciplinary care pathway.

Timeline

Start date: 2025-08-01
Primary completion: 2026-04-01
Completion: 2026-04-01
First posted: 2025-07-10
Last updated: 2025-07-10

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Finland

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov record NCT07058532. Inclusion in this directory is not an endorsement.