Purpose

This study involves delivering a mindfulness program that was developed for Veterans called VA Compassionate Awareness Learning Module (VA CALM) to Veterans with spinal cord injuries (SCI) to develop accommodations to make the VA CALM program more accessible for those with SCI. It will involve delivering the unmodified curriculum to a group of Veterans with SCI first to determine what areas need accommodations, working with a group of stakeholders to develop appropriate accommodations, and then delivering 1-2 modified modules via virtual reality to evaluate whether using virtual reality was feasible and acceptable for this program.

Conditions

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Over 18 Years
Eligible Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • Veteran - Diagnosis of spinal cord injury with incomplete or complete tetraplegia based on AIS score OR incomplete or complete paraplegia based on AIS score. - Endorses chronic pain lasting 3 months; - age 18+ years - Access to high-speed internet - Endorse being (at least) minimally proficient on the computer (eg, able to check emails, read the news, etc.); be able, either independently or with caregiver support, to get online for virtual meetings and don/doff VR equipment - Able to speak clearly and independently to participate in focus group interviews.

Exclusion Criteria

  • Individuals unable to consent for research or medical care are ineligible to participate.

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
N/A
Intervention Model
Single Group Assignment
Intervention Model Description
Single non-randomized group will be used to gather evaluation data on needed modifications to enhance program fit to the SCI population needs to develop a tailored curriculum for SCI. Outcomes will involve pre-post evaluation of measures to determine if there are any direct or indirect impacts of the mindfulness program as a preliminary feasibility study.
Primary Purpose
Supportive Care
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
VA CALM
This group will receive the VA CALM mindfulness programming.
  • Behavioral: VA Compassionate Awareness Learning Module (VA CALM) a mindfulness curriculum.
    VA CALM is a 9 week mindfulness curriculum typically delivered at a once/week module pace in group settings during sessions that last approximately 60-90 minutes. Module topics include: Program Introduction, Why mindfulness, Perception, What Makes Something a Pleasant Experience?, Being Stuck, Getting Unstuck, Communication, Mindfulness in Daily Life, and Today is the First Dat of the Rest of Your Life.
    Other names:
    • VA CALM

Recruiting Locations

Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX
Houston 4699066, Texas 4736286 77030-4211
Contact:
Suzette Stine, MBA BS
713-794-8654
suzette.stine@va.gov

More Details

NCT ID
NCT06587607
Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
VA Office of Research and Development

Study Contact

Hilary Touchett, PhD MSN BSN
(713) 791-1414
hilary.touchett@va.gov

Detailed Description

The objectives of this study are to explore the feasibility and acceptability of a spinal cord injury (SCI) tailored, evidence-based mindfulness group known as VA Compassionate Awareness Learning Module (VA CALM) when delivered via virtual reality (VR) The project will first assess modification needs for SCI and then explore the feasibility and acceptability of delivering VA CALM-SCI over VR. The long-term goals and significance of this study include studying the efficacy of VA CALM-SCI for the treatment of chronic pain and examining the comparative effectiveness between VR and video telehealth modalities to build evidence for the modified intervention. This work has the potential to improve care for Veterans with SCI who are at risk of being left out of innovative clinical advancements that improve quality of life and well-being, due to the complexity of their medical condition. Aim 1: Conduct a formative evaluation of the VA CALM program to develop accommodations to improve program accessibility and acceptability for Veterans with SCI and chronic pain (VA CALM-SCI). - Aim 1a: Deliver the VA CALM program to 10 Veterans with SCI over telehealth to conduct a formative evaluation of the VA CALM curriculum to tailor for SCI contextual needs. - Aim 1b: Assemble a Steering Committee of SCI stakeholders (10 members) to develop appropriate strategies, accommodations, and recommended tools to support the delivery of VA CALM-SCI. Aim 2: Explore the feasibility and acceptability of delivering VA CALM-SCI over a Virtual Reality platform for Veterans with SCI and chronic pain. - Aim 2a: Assess potential VR applications and settings for delivery and testing of VA CALM-SCI. - Aim 2b: Deliver 2 VA CALM-SCI modules over VR to Veterans with SCI to assess the feasibility and acceptability of using VR in this population to deliver mindfulness training.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.