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Rheumatology Studies

Coping Skills Training in Juvenile Fibromyalgia

The purpose of this study is to compare whether cognitive behavioral treatment or educational sessions about fibromyalgia are more effective in reducing pain, sleep difficulties and disability in adolescents with Juvenile Fibromyalgia.

  • This study will include 116 subjects from four regional clinics, Cincinnati, Dayton, Louisville and Cleveland.
  • Boys and girls ages 11 – 18 years of age who are diagnosed with Juvenile Fibromyalgia and are stable on medications for 8 weeks prior to starting study are eligible to participate
  • Coping Skills Training (a behavioral intervention that includes techniques for pain management) is the treatment being studied
  • Subjects will be randomly assigned (like flipping a coin) to one of  2 treatment groups:

    1. Coping Skills Training  (learning ways to help you cope with and manage pain)

      OR
    2. Education  (useful information about fibromyalgia) during this study.

You will meet with a therapist for a total of 10 weekly sessions (your parent/s will attend 5 of the 10 sessions along with you) during the study during which you will receive your treatment, either coping skills training or education.

  • This is a blinded study, which means neither you nor the study staff (except your therapist) will know which treatment group you are part of.
  • Following a Baseline Screening visit (3.5 hours) which includes a physical exam and psychological interview and questionnaires, there are 13 study visits (lasting about 1 hour each) over 33 weeks. 
  • The 33 week study period is divided into 2 phases:
    1. Acute Treatment Phase - 9 study visits over 9 weeks.  Participants receive behavioral intervention (Coping Skills Training or education/support).
    2. Maintenance Phase) – 3 study visits over 24 weeks.  Participants come for 3 check-in sessions with their therapist and the study doctor

Contact Us

For more information about this study, please contact Susmita Kashikar-Zuck, PhD,  513-636-6337, T. Brent Graham, MD, 513-636-3877, or Study Coordinator, Raegan Malblanc, 513-636-1846, pager 513-736-9663.