Adaptability and Resilience in Aging Adults (ARIAA): protocol for a pilot and feasibility study in chronic low back pain

Paige E Lysne; Shreela Palit; Calia A Morais; Lucas C DeMonte; Maria Lakdawala; Kimberly T Sibille; Emily J Bartley

doi:10.1186/s40814-021-00923-y

Adaptability and Resilience in Aging Adults (ARIAA): protocol for a pilot and feasibility study in chronic low back pain

Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2021 Oct 19;7(1):188. doi: 10.1186/s40814-021-00923-y.

Authors

Paige E Lysne¹, Shreela Palit¹, Calia A Morais¹, Lucas C DeMonte², Maria Lakdawala³, Kimberly T Sibille⁴, Emily J Bartley⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
² Department of Counseling and Higher Education, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA.
³ Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
⁴ Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
⁵ Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. EBartley@dental.ufl.edu.

Abstract

Background: Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is the leading cause of disability among older adults and one of the top reasons for seeking healthcare, resulting in significant decrements in physical functioning. Because older adults are among the fastest growing cohorts in the USA, both the incidence and burden of cLBP are expected to increase considerably, rendering geriatric pain management a top health priority. Resilience is defined as a process allowing individuals to adapt and recover from adverse and stressful conditions, and it has been highlighted as a crucial factor in positive health-related functioning. While a growing body of literature supports the use of resilience-based interventions in chronic pain, research examining their effectiveness in older adults with cLBP remains limited. The primary aims of the study are to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a psychologically oriented resilience intervention among aging adults with cLBP.

Methods: In this article, we describe the rationale and design of the Adaptability and Resilience in Aging Adults (ARIAA) study, a single-arm intervention in which 60 participants (ages ≥ 60 years) with cLBP will be recruited to participate in a 7-week group-based program aimed at enhancing psychological resilience. Intervention sessions will target positive psychology concepts (e.g., positive affect, pain acceptance, hopeful thinking, pain self-efficacy) and cognitive behavioral techniques that have established benefits in pain management. Primary study outcomes include intervention feasibility and acceptability as measured by treatment engagement, intervention credibility and satisfaction, ability to meet recruitment and retention metrics, and the feasibility of questionnaire and home activity completion. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, immediately at posttreatment, and at the 3-month follow-up period.

Discussion: This study will establish the feasibility and acceptability of a novel intervention aimed at enhancing positive, psychological functioning, and resilience in older adults with cLBP. Achievement of these aims will provide a rich platform for future intervention research targeting improvements in pain and disability among geriatric populations and will serve as a foundation for a fully powered trial to examine treatment efficacy of the proposed intervention.

Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT04068922 . Registered 28 August 2019.

Keywords: Aging; Disability; Hope; Low back pain; Pain acceptance; Pain self-efficacy; Positive affect; Positive psychology; Quality of life; Resilience.

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04068922

Abstract

Associated data

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