Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 29, 2026
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Author Spotlight: Methodologies and Advancements of Chronic Pain Management Research
Published on: January 5, 2024
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Randomized comparative effectiveness study of 1-session vs 8-session online behavioral treatment for chronic pain:
Emma Adair Monson1, Aram Mardian2,3, Kartikeya Saxena2
1Stanford Pain Relief Innovations Lab, Division of Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, United States.
Pain Medicine (Malden, Mass.)
|February 19, 2026
Summary
A single-session pain relief class (Empowered Relief) proved non-inferior to an 8-session cognitive behavioral therapy program for chronic pain management. This finding supports accessible telehealth options for diverse patient populations.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Medicine
- Pain Management
- Telehealth Interventions
Background:
- Evidence-based behavioral pain treatments face accessibility challenges.
- The 1-session Empowered Relief (ER) program shows efficacy in homogenous pain groups.
- Comparative effectiveness in heterogeneous chronic pain populations is needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a non-inferiority trial comparing online 1-session ER and 8-session cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for chronic pain.
- To evaluate these telehealth interventions in a nationally representative sample.
- To inform treatment decision-making and patient-provider matching.
Main Methods:
- 1,200 adults with chronic pain (≥3 months, intensity ≥3/10) were randomized 1:1 to online 1-session ER or 8-session CBT.
- Data collected for 6 months post-treatment, including patient-reported outcomes and medical records.
- Primary outcomes: pain intensity and interference changes from baseline to 3 months; analyzed using MMRM.
Main Results:
- The study hypothesized non-inferiority between the 1-session ER and 8-session CBT interventions.
- Secondary outcomes included sleep, pain catastrophizing, anxiety, and pain bothersomeness.
- Exploratory analyses examined heterogeneity of treatment effects.
Conclusions:
- The trial aimed to demonstrate that the 1-session Empowered Relief is not worse than the 8-session CBT for chronic pain.
- Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and to stakeholders.
- This research supports the use of accessible telehealth behavioral interventions for chronic pain.
