Actively Recruiting
Brief Pain Exposure Therapy (BPET) For Nociplastic Pain
Led by University of Michigan · Updated on 2026-05-11
125
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
13 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Researchers are evaluating a brief Zoom-based behavioral treatment called Brief Pain Exposure Therapy (BPET) for adults with fibromyalgia, Lupus, chronic pelvic pain, and chronic low back pain. The study aims to see if BPET can help reduce pain, disability, depression, anxiety, and other problems associated with these chronic pain conditions. This project includes participants with chronic pelvic pain and chronic low back pain in addition to those with fibromyalgia and Lupus. Participants will receive BPET through telehealth sessions lasting 1.5 hours each week for 3 weeks. The therapy combines pain neuroscience education, mindfulness meditation, and graded exposure techniques to improve tolerance of painful or feared activities. Participants will also get handouts and pre-recorded meditation scripts for practice between sessions. Fibromyalgia participants will complete daily pain logs before, during, and after the intervention. Surveys will be completed throughout the study. Participants will be involved in baseline and post-treatment daily logs, weekly telehealth therapy sessions, and ongoing surveys. Researchers will assess changes in pain intensity using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale from day 1 to day 60 and day 210, along with measures of fear of movement and pain interference. The study will also evaluate how acceptable and feasible the intervention is based on session attendance, practice completion, and participant feedback. The total participation includes baseline, intervention, and follow-up assessments over several months.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
Brief Pain Exposure Therapy (BPET) For Nociplastic Pain
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Able to read, write and speak English
- Have internet access and a device capable of audio-visual conferencing (e.g., Zoom) at home
- Fibromyalgia participants: diagnosis by a physician or meet specific 2016 American College of Rheumatology criteria or have pain in 4 of 7 body regions plus opioid use disorder diagnosis
- Lupus participants: physician diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus, pain in 4 of 7 body regions, and stable medications/steroid dose for one month before entry
- Chronic Low Back Pain participants: pain on at least half the days over the past 6 months and average pain intensity at least 4 out of 10 in the past 7 days
You will not qualify if you...
- Presence of other causes of chronic pain besides fibromyalgia or lupus (e.g., inflammatory arthritis, other autoimmune disorders, spinal cord injury, cancer)
- Currently undergoing cognitive-behavioral or other psychological therapies for pain
- Open litigation related to chronic pain within the past year
- Unable to provide informed consent or complete study procedures due to cognitive impairment
- Pregnant or breastfeeding
- Any other diseases or conditions deemed unsuitable by study investigators
- Lupus participants taking more than 10 mg prednisone (or equivalent) daily
- Chronic Pelvic Pain participants with surgery related to pelvic pain in the past 6 months
- Chronic Low Back Pain participants scheduled for back surgery or with leg pain worse than back pain
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Your Study Journey
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 visit (in-person or virtual)
Duration - 3 weeks
Participants receive Brief Pain Exposure Therapy (BPET), a telehealth-based behavioral intervention for chronic pain, including pain neuroscience education, mindfulness meditation, and graded exposure techniques. Participants complete daily logs during the treatment period and use handouts and pre-recorded materials to support between-session practice.
Weekly sessions of 1.5 hours each via telehealth
Duration - Up to 7 months post-treatment
Participants complete surveys and assessments to measure changes in pain intensity, fear of movement, and pain interference up to 7 months after treatment.
Assessments at Day 29, Day 60, and Day 210
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48109
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
B
Beth Banner
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
NA
Model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
1
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