Goal-Directed Resilience Training to Mitigate Chronic Pain in Former Football Players

Goal-Directed Resilience Training to Mitigate Chronic Pain in Former Football Players

The investigators propose to test a pilot study that teaches resilience skills to former football players who experience chronic pain. The purpose of this study is to see if learning resilience skills makes a difference in how former players manage chronic pain. This pilot study may advance methods to improve the well-being and quality of life of former players affected by pain.

This pilot study seeks to test the efficacy of a resilience skills training intervention for former football players who experience chronic pain. Chronic pain threatens quality of life, and the culture of elite athletes is poorly adapted to the chronic condition of pain. Innovative strategies that are both culturally acceptable and effective are needed to address the needs of players who may have a reluctance to engage traditional treatment approaches.

The overarching goal is to strengthen the capacity for former football players to maintain adaptive engagement in valued activities despite chronic pain. Responding to recent findings from the Harvard Football Player Health Study (HFPHS) that identified pain as a significant challenge, we propose a pilot study that tests a resilience skills training intervention with former football players who currently experience chronic pain.

This proposed study builds on previous work conducted at Morehouse School of Medicine engaging retired professional football players and ongoing resilience intervention research involving veteran and community-based populations. The specific aim of this study is to test an intervention to decrease chronic pain and co-morbid symptoms and improve a broader adaptive level of functioning through Goal-Directed Resilience Training (GRIT) for chronic pain in a sub-sample of Atlanta-based former players.

The investigators hypothesize the following:

1. GRIT training intervention versus control training will be associated with reduced chronic pain and related symptoms of insomnia, anxiety, depression, improved emotional functions, and improved neurocognitive functions.
2. Improved self-reported physical health, quality of life, personal relationships, and personal growth will be evident for intervention versus control participants.

This pilot study has the potential to advance strategies to improve the well-being and functional status of former players impacted by pain.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Former football player between 18 - 65 of age
• Player has passed pre-selection and are referred by Harvard Football Players health study
• Potentially diverse racial & ethnic identities.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Active suicidality or suicidal intent requiring greater than outpatient level of care (Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale - CSSRS)
• High risk drinking of alcohol (based on scoring guidelines of AUDIT-C)
• Active psychosis (Psychosis Screener)
• Inability to participate in a small group setting (self-reported inability to regulate constructive social interaction in small group setting
• Inability to meet projected attendance requirements.