# Training Psychologists and Nurse Practitioners in the Use of an Evidence-Based Online Pain Self-Management Program: Leveraging the Power of Expert Guidance and Telehealth

> **NIH NIH R43** · GOALISTICS, LLC · 2024 · $305,909

## Abstract

SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
 Over 100 million adults in the U.S. live with chronic pain. They face risks such as prolonged opioid use,
depression, anxiety, stress, and various social, occupational, and financial problems. Even though opioids
were traditionally used to manage chronic pain, they are no longer the primary option due to their numerous
risks (e.g. overdose, addiction). The CDC and other authorities currently advocate the use of non-opioid
interventions for pain management. Although the shift in policy has successfully decreased opioid
prescriptions, many individuals with pain now encounter a treatment void due to the limited availability of non-
opioid therapies and a shortage of professionals skilled in providing alternative treatments. One promising
solution to these twin dilemmas is the advent of internet-based pain self-management programs. Such
programs have been shown to improve pain-related and mental health outcomes and to reduce prolonged
opioid use. However, some face obstacles in engaging and completing self-directed programs. These
challenges have been shown to diminish when the systematic guidance of trained professionals is available.
 The research team plans to create a Psychologist/Nurse Practitioner-guided version of an existing,
evidence-based online program, the Chronic Pain Management Program (CPMP) to be delivered via
Telehealth. The rigorously tested CPMP has demonstrated significant reductions in opioid use, pain severity,
emotional burden, stress, anxiety, and depression, while concurrently enhancing self-efficacy, coping skills,
and knowledge about chronic pain and its treatment. Despite these successes, the CPMP currently lacks an
option for professional guidance. Consequently, our strategy involves adapting the CPMP's delivery method by
developing a curriculum aimed at training and certifying licensed Clinical/Counseling Psychologists (CPs) and
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) to offer program guidance. This modified format will be integrated into a Telehealth
(virtual) treatment model, broadening the program's availability and accessibility.
The research team will 1) develop Psychologist/Nurse Practitioner Training materials (Aim 1), that align
with the topics and goals of the CPMP and 2) build a web-based Portal (Aim 2) to house the training program,
host profiles of certified CPs/NPs, permit matching of CPs/NPs to adults with chronic pain, provide user access
to the CPMP, and generate automated reports of client program use/progress on the CPMP.
Feasibility will be examined via formative evaluations of the Training materials and the Portal. An iterative
review and product revision process will be carried out by 20 adults with chronic pain and a panel of eight
CPs/NPs. These panels will examine factors such as content, usability, satisfaction, functionality, interest, and
willingness to use. The Goalistics team employed these methods in prior projects to craft a Phase I prototype,
proving its feasibility, technical value, a...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11005478
- **Project number:** 1R43MH135524-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** GOALISTICS, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Linda Sue Ruehlman
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $305,909
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-01 → 2025-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11005478

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11005478, Training Psychologists and Nurse Practitioners in the Use of an Evidence-Based Online Pain Self-Management Program: Leveraging the Power of Expert Guidance and Telehealth (1R43MH135524-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11005478. Licensed CC0.

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