(PS1-75) CLEVER: A Positive Body Image-based Intervention Supported by Virtual Reality to Improve Pain Intensity, Pain Interference and Emotional Distress. a Pilot Study

Chronic pain is a significant public health problem, with a prevalence estimated between 18% and 34.5% in United States and 27% in Europe. Nowadays, there is a broad consensus to address chronic pain from a biopsychosocial perspective (encompassing pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies) with moderate to good results (Skelly et al., 2020; Park & Moon, 2010). Even though there is still room for improvement.

Emerging evidence highlight the role of individuals’ relationship with their body in this population. In this context, people with chronic pain often develop a negative relation with their bodies based on pain-related limitation, which can exacerbate the symptoms and diminish overall quality of life. Consequently, interventions focused on promoting a positive relation towards the body can be beneficial in reducing pain, interference, and emotional distress (Levenig et al., 2018). Furthermore, VR offers an opportunity to address this challenge by providing immersive experiences that allow individuals to cultivate a more positive relationship with their bodies.

The objective of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility of CLEVER, a Positive Body Image-based intervention, designed to enhance positive body image and alleviate pain intensity, interference, and emotional distress.

CLEVER is a multicomponent intervention consisting of four sessions: Psychoeducation, Body Awareness, Pain and Body Acceptance, and Appreciation and Gratitude towards the body. The intervention is based on previous findings (Bailey et al., 2015; Valenzuela-Moguillansky et al., 2017; Van der Maas, et al., 2016; Markey et al., 2020; Alleva et al., 2018). To enhance the intervention two virtual environments were developed: a body scan exercise for the Body Awareness component, and the “unwanted neighbour” metaphor from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for the Acceptance component. Participants fulfilled questionnaires before and after treatment to assess various outcomes, including Body Awareness, Acceptance of Pain, Appreciation of Functionality, Positive Body Image, Pain Intensity, Interference, Catastrophizing, Kinesophobia, Disability and Emotional Distress. Additionally, a daily assessment was conducted to monitor progress throughout the intervention.

This study presents the results of a case study involving three participants with chronic low back pain recruited from the Traumatology service of Hospital Arnau de Vilanova in Valencia, Spain. It is anticipated that by addressing the dimension of positive body image, the intervention will lead to improvements in the quality of life for individuals living with chronic pain conditions. In addition, we expect to obtain good levels of acceptability about the treatment.