Replication Study: Reducing Pain With Focused Music Listening (NCT06960226) | Clinical Trial Compass
CompletedNot Applicable
Replication Study: Reducing Pain With Focused Music Listening
Norway61 participantsStarted 2025-03-01
Plain-language summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to confirm previous findings that actively tapping along to music can reduce pain more than just listening to music. This study aims to replicate the findings of a previous study (NCT05267795), with one change in how mild pain is created for the experiment. This study involves healthy adults.
The main questions the study aims to answer are:
1. Does actively tapping along to music lower feelings of pain compared to just listening to music?
2. Does actively tapping along to music lower feelings of pain compared to being in silence (with or without tapping)?
3. Is this method of using music and tapping helpful for managing pain?
Researchers will compare the amount of pain participants feel in four different situations:
1. Listening to music while actively tapping their foot along with it.
2. Just listening to music while resting their foot.
3. Actively tapping their foot in silence.
4. Sitting in silence while resting their foot.
Participants in this study will:
Experience brief moments of mild pain on their forearm. This pain is safely created using a small electrical pulse from a device held gently on the skin by the researcher. (This replaces the pressure method used in the original study).
Sometimes listen to music through headphones, and sometimes sit in silence. Sometimes tap their foot along to the music or a beat, and sometimes rest their foot. Rate how much pain they feel on a number scale after each pain pulse. Answer short questions about their mood during the experiment. Answer questions about how familiar they are with the music and how much they liked it at the end.
Who can participate
Age range
19 Years – 35 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Age 18 years or older
* Self-reported good general health
* Able to understand study procedures and provide informed consent
* Normal or corrected-to-normal hearing (sufficient for music perception)
Exclusion Criteria:
* Contraindications for Electrical Stimulation:
* Presence of active electronic implants (e.g., cardiac pacemaker, cochlear implant)
* Pregnancy (self-reported)
* History of Epilepsy or seizure disorder
* Presence of local malignancy (especially near the stimulation site on forearm)
* Broken skin, wounds, or significant skin conditions on the right forearm (stimulation site)
* Medical/Neurological History:
* History of significant psychiatric or neurological disease (other than epilepsy, listed above)
* History of substance dependence
* Current diagnosis of a chronic pain condition
* Medication Use:
* Current regular use of prescription analgesic (pain-relief) medication
* Current regular use of psychoactive medication
* Study-Specific:
* Self-reported musical anhedonia (inability to derive pleasure from music)
* Significant hearing impairment preventing clear perception of the music
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Perceived Pain
Timeframe: Time Frame: 40 minutes (duration of time over which each participant is assessed)