Reductions in chronic pain cognitions and impact following intensive trauma and pain rehabilitation treatments: A case study.

OBJECTIVE

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects millions of Americans and is frequently associated with chronic pain. Intensive delivery models for PTSD treatment help patients quickly recover, but their effect on chronic pain outcomes is understudied. In this investigation, we evaluated how intensive narrative exposure therapy (HI-NET) was associated with pain outcomes for participants with chronic pain and PTSD.

METHOD: A small treatment-seeking sample (N = 8, 6 females; range of traumatic events: 5-15) recruited in 2022-2023 participated in six daily HI-NET sessions. All participants received pain treatment before or after participation in HI-NET. Participants completed measures at baseline, 1-week, 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-up timepoints.

RESULTS

In addition to significant reductions in PTSD symptoms, there were substantial decreases in pain catastrophizing scores (mean 14.5-point decrease in Pain Catastrophizing Scale score [M = 29.50, SD = 12.99] to 6-month assessment [M = 15.00, SD = 9.42]) and a moderate difference in decreased pain, increased enjoyment of life, and gradual activity (mean 1.6-point decrease on the Pain, Enjoyment of Life, and General Activity Scale from baseline [M = 6.75, SD = 2.08] to 6-month assessment [M = 5.19, SD = 2.79]).

CONCLUSIONS

Participation in an intensive PTSD treatment that utilizes a lifespan approach so multiple traumatic events can be addressed was associated with meaningful changes in chronic pain outcomes that remained at 6 months postintervention. As a proof-of-concept study, these findings demonstrate HI-NET's potential for comorbid conditions and pave the way for replication in larger, randomized trials to confirm and expand its impact. Intensive PTSD treatments may be particularly beneficial to individuals with comorbid chronic pain and PTSD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).