Can talk therapy ease pain in veterans with mental illness? small study hints yes

NCT ID NCT04118283

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026

Summary

This study looked at whether cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help veterans with serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder manage chronic pain. 47 veterans took part in a 12-session CBT program designed for chronic pain. The goal was to see if the therapy was acceptable and practical, not to prove it works. Results will guide whether a larger trial is worth doing.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP)
What this could lead to: If successful, this could show that CBT is a helpful, non-drug option for managing chronic pain in veterans with serious mental illness.
What could go wrong: This is a very small, early feasibility study with only 47 participants. It cannot prove the therapy works—only that it might be acceptable and practical to test further.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Affective Disorders, Psychotic bipolar disorder Chronic Pain chronic pain syndrome psychotic disorder Psychotic Disorders schizoaffective disorder schizophrenia

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

AFFECTIVE DISORDERS, PSYCHOTIC BIPOLAR DISORDER CHRONIC PAIN PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS SCHIZOPHRENIA

Contacts and locations

Locations

Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD

Baltimore, Maryland, 21201, United States

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