# Positive Affect Regulation as Adjuvant to Integrative Therapies for Chronic Pain:  Development of the LARKSPUR Clinic-Based Intervention

> **NIH NIH R34** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $239,827

## Abstract

Abstract
 In the general U.S. population, it is estimated that 25.3 million adults experienced chronic
pain in the past year. Depression is highly co-morbid with pain, increases the severity and
chronicity of pain, and is predictive of nonadherence to medical recommendations. Positive
affect is uniquely related to a host of beneficial outcomes including less pain, higher functional
status, and better adherence to medical recommendations, independent of the effects of
depression and other negative affects. There is a need for effective, easily disseminated
interventions to help people cope with chronic pain, decrease depression and distress that pose
barriers to optimal adherence and potentially boost the efficacy of integrative as well as
conventional pain treatments. Our goal for this proposed R34 is to develop LARKSPUR
(Lessons in Affect Regulation to Keep Stress and Pain UndeR control), an online-delivered
positive affect skills intervention tailored for people living with chronic musculoskeletal pain to
optimize effects on depression, adherence, and pain in conjunction with integrative or
conventional treatments. LARKSPUR will be based on our previously developed online positive
affect intervention for people coping with a variety of health-related stress. In order to tailor the
existing intervention, we will conduct focus groups and user tests with people living with chronic
pain and consult with integrative health providers who commonly treat chronic pain. We will then
conduct a randomized pilot trial of the tailored intervention in people seeking integrative
treatment for chronic musculoskeletal pain. In the final phase, in collaboration with BraveNet, a
practice based research network, we will determine optimal sites for a future randomized trial
based on patient base, integrative treatments offered, partner primary care sites, electronic
health records, and outcomes of feasibility assessments at potential sites. The proposed study
will lay the foundation for future implementation of LARKSPUR in integrative medicine and
primary care clinics by selecting sites for a future high-quality, adequately powered trial of
LARKSPUR as an adjuvant to integrative or conventional treatments for chronic pain.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9841381
- **Project number:** 5R34AT009685-03
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** JUDITH T. MOSKOWITZ
- **Activity code:** R34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $239,827
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-01-12 → 2021-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9841381

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9841381, Positive Affect Regulation as Adjuvant to Integrative Therapies for Chronic Pain:  Development of the LARKSPUR Clinic-Based Intervention (5R34AT009685-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9841381. Licensed CC0.

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