Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
FAQs
All types of ongoing pain are eligible so long as pain has lasted for at least 6 months. Many people have more than one type of ongoing pain and that’s OK for the study.
You will receive online group-based treatment at no cost to you. If you qualify, you will be assigned to receive either a 1-session treatment class (2 hours total) or an 8-session treatment (sessions occur weekly for 8 weeks; each session lasts 2 hours; 16 hours total treatment time). Both treatments will teach you about pain, how to best manage it with skills and tools, and you will create a personal plan to give you a roadmap for relief. All classes are taught by highly qualified pain specialists.
You may also receive up to $195 for completing online research study surveys.
If you are not receiving health care at any of these sites (or have Humana health insurance) you will not be eligible to participate in the PROGRESS study. However, if you wish, please sign up for our registry to be contacted about upcoming pain studies that you may qualify for. Please check back periodically for link.
We frequently offer free online pain treatment in our studies.
No. Your medical care and medications are not impacted by the study. All study procedures are completed online.
Please click the red “see if you qualify” button and answer few questions to determine if you qualify!. Please check back periodically for link.
Inclusivity is our goal! Please send a message to: (general Stanford e-mail address) and if you qualify we will find a way to help you participate in the study.
Your privacy is important! The Stanford University database system has extensive privacy controls to protect your information and is HIPAA compliant. Additionally, you are able to skip survey questions that you are not comfortable answering. The study treatments do not require you to be on camera and you can choose whether to share any personal information with the group. Prior to your group treatment the study coordinator can review any privacy concerns and advise.
All online treatment classes will be in a group-class format and led by a trained professional (e.g., a pain psychologist or mental health professional). Groups may range in size from about 10-20 participants. Professionals involved in oversight of the study are the project core manager (Emma Adair), principal investigator (Dr. Beth Darnall), and site directors.
Both study treatments will help you learn pain management skills to lessen pain and have a more positive and active life.
If you are assigned to the 1-session treatment, there are no further sessions once you complete the single treatment class. If you are assigned to the 8-session treatment, it will be important for you attend as many of the 8 weekly sessions as possible. Of course, things sometimes get in the way and you can still stay in the study even if you miss a week or two. If you are (or know you will be) absent from a weekly session, you can contact the coordinator for information covered during that class.
No, because this is research, we will tell you which group you will attend based on random order (chance) like flipping a coin.
If you are eligible and enroll in the study, your participation lasts until 6 months after your online group treatment ends. Depending on which treatment you are assigned to receive, your study participation may last about 8-10 months. After you complete your online treatment, your continued participation in the study involves completing 4 additional online surveys over the next 6 months.
You can decide to end your study participation at any time. To end participation please call your local study coordinator to walk you through the process.
- You can always contact the study coordinator with any questions related to the study.
- If you take a group, you will have the support of others in your group as well as your group leader.
- If you have medical questions, contact your doctor as you normally would.
Over the 8-10 months of participation with the study, participants will be expected to:
- Complete study questionnaires
- Complete the assigned study treatment (if you are assigned to the 8-session treatment, attend as many of those classes as possible)
This study is fully online!
No. The treatment is free for enrolled participants.
Yes; Amazon gift cards are provided for survey completion.
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is an independent, nonprofit research organization that seeks to empower patients and others with actionable information about their health and healthcare choices. They fund comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) like this study, which compares two or more medical treatments, services, or health practices to help patients and other stakeholders make better informed decisions.
To find out more about PCORI please visit their site at https://www.pcori.org/about/about-pcori
There are no health insurance costs or co-pays associated with this study. No in-clinic medical visits are required for this study. The study treatments are provided to you at no cost. Your medical care is not impacted by participating in the PROGRESS study.
No! All participants will receive active, evidence-based pain treatment.