# Theory of planned behavior constructs are associated with willingness to engage in clinical trial interventions for chronic low back pain: A cross-sectional survey study

## TL;DR

This study shows that attitudes and social norms influence willingness to participate in chronic low back pain clinical trials.

## Contribution

It applies the theory of planned behavior to identify factors influencing participation in chronic pain interventions.

## Key findings

- Positive attitudes and social norms are linked to higher willingness to participate in CLBP interventions.
- Perceived behavioral control also correlates with willingness to engage in clinical trial interventions.
- These associations remain significant after adjusting for demographics and pain characteristics.

## Abstract

Chronic pain research studies are important for both finding new treatments and improving existing treatments for individuals with chronic pain. For clinical trials to be effective, participants need to be engaged and willing to participate in treatment groups. Our research applies the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to understand how attitudes, perceived social norms, and perceived control over intervention engagement are associated with willingness to participate in interventions for chronic low back pain (CLBP).

Adult Michigan Medicine patients were identified using electronic medical records and emailed a link to an online, cross-sectional survey. Participants who self-reported CLBP, ability to read and write in English, and consented to participate were able to complete the survey (N = 405).

The results showed more positive attitudes, positive social norms, and higher perceived behavioral control related to specific chronic low back pain interventions are associated with greater willingness to participate after controlling for demographic and pain-related characteristics.

The findings suggest that TPB constructs may be useful in guiding recruitment efforts for chronic pain intervention trials.