Ongoing and upcoming studies

Actively recruiting 

Biopsychosocial Intergenerational Risk and Resilience Factors in Pediatric Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain

Investigation funded by the National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal, and Skin Diseases – proposing to investigate mechanisms of risk and resilience using robust biospecimen collection and assay in youth with amplified musculoskeletal pain and their birthing parent every six months over a two year period. 

 

We are actively recruiting both controls and chronic pain patients for this study. If you would like to learn more, please contact PainandStress@childrens.harvard.edu.

 

NIH Grant Number: R01AR085552

Preliminary efficacy of a mindfulness curriculum in addressing neurobiological, pain-related, and psychological outcomes in youth with chronic pain

Pilot investigation on the efficacy of the Learning2Breathe (L2B) mindfulness protocol in mitigating neurobiological wear and tear of stress (i.e., allostatic load) in pediatric chronic pain. Funded by the BCH Anesthesia Trailblazer Award. 

Amplifying patient voices around diversity, equity, and inclusion in pediatric chronic pain treatment: A mixed-method investigation

Mixed methods investigation focused on characterizing diverse youth who present to pain care and identifying ways in which diversity, equity, and inclusivity in pediatric pain care can be optimized.

We are actively recruiting chronic pain ethnic minority patients for this study, as well as chronic pain professionals. If you would like to learn more, please contact PainandStress@childrens.harvard.edu.

Data analyses

Neurobiological Mechanisms of Stress in Youth with Chronic Widespread Pain

Clinical trial funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health involving functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and quantitative sensory testing to examine the brain-based mechanisms historically associated with psychological stress that may play a role in the maintenance of chronic pain and mind-body treatment response.

We are actively recruiting both controls and chronic pain patients for this study. If you would like to learn more, please contact PainandStress@childrens.harvard.edu.

NIH Grant Number: 5TK23AT010643

Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT04488757

Identifying psychosocial phenotypes across diverse pediatric pain populations: A multisite investigation

Multisite study using clinically-derived data from tertiary pain care at Boston Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital Wisconsin, and Stanford Medicine Children’s Health to investigate varying clinical presentations across sociodemographic patient populations presenting for specialty pain care. 

Pending studies

Feasibility of a mindfulness curriculum and physiological mechanisms of stress as a treatment outcome in youth with chronic musculoskeletal pain

NIH-proposal investigating the feasibility of virtually-adapted L2B and of allostatic load as an intervention outcome in youth with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Funding pending.

Predictors of morbidity and treatment response in pediatric chronic musculoskeletal pain: Investigating the roles of adversity and positive experiences

NIH-proposal investigating multimodal predictors of morbidity and intensive interdisciplinary treatment response in pediatric chronic musculoskeletal pain. In partnership with Stanford Medicine Children’s Health. Funding pending.