Can acceptance and commitment therapy ease chronic pain as well as CBT?
NCT ID NCT07709572
First seen Jul 16, 2026 · Last updated Jul 17, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) helps adults with chronic non-malignant pain (pain lasting 3+ months not caused by cancer). Sixty participants are randomly assigned to ACT, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or standard medical care alone. Both ACT and CBT involve 10 weekly sessions with a trained therapist. The goal is to see if ACT improves pain acceptance, psychological flexibility, and daily functioning compared to CBT or usual care.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — both delivered as 10-session psychological interventions
- What this could lead to
- If ACT proves as good as or better than CBT, it could offer people with chronic pain another effective psychological option to improve daily functioning and quality of life.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 60 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Both therapies require commitment to 10 weekly sessions, and not everyone may benefit.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
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DHQ Hospital, Gujranwala (Orthopedic Department)
Guiranwala, Punjab Province, 52250, Pakistan
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