EFFects of EXPosure and Cognitive-behavioural Therapy for chronic BACK pain (EFFECT-BACK)

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Julia Glombiewski
• Subject Area: Personality Psychology, Clinical and Medical Psychology, Methodology
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 429500422

The aim of the multicenter study is to determine the extent to which a short, economical version of exposure therapy (EXP) for chronic back pain is superior to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in reducing pain-related impairment. Additionally, in the context of "Tailored Treatment," we aim to investigate whether individuals who show particularly high avoidance of movement in a behavioral test benefit more from EXP than from CBT. Furthermore, we want to examine whether people with back pain who exhibit few pain-coping strategies benefit more from CBT. The study will be conducted in university psychotherapy outpatient clinics and multidisciplinary pain centers. We plan to include 380 participants from 5 centers and conduct a 2-year follow-up.

• DFG Programme: Clinical Trials
• Co-Investigator: Professorin Dr. Ulrike Bingel