Healthy SubjectsNCT06821022
The Impact of Pain Neuroscience Education on Physical Therapy Students' Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behaviors Towards Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial
A study testing Pain Neuroscience Education and Red Flags Education in people with Healthy Subjects, run by The Hashemite University at 1 site in Jordan.
Trial summary
This study investigates the effect of pain neuroscience education (PNE) on pain knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors among undergraduate physiotherapy students in Jordan Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Healthy Subjects
- What is being tested?
- Pain Neuroscience Education and Red Flags Education
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 120 participants
- Where
- 1 siteJordan
- Study dates
- 15 Feb 2024to 13 May 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Physiotherapy undergraduate students at the Hashemite University
Who cannot join
- Previous formal pain education
- Enrolled in a clinical practice module
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
This study investigates the effect of pain neuroscience education (PNE) on pain knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors among undergraduate physiotherapy students in Jordan
Read the detailed description
Physiotherapy students at the Hashemite University will be randomly assigned into either pain neuroscience education or control lectures groups. Both groups will receive a 70-min didactic group-lecture. The control group will receive education about red-flags which are special screening questions for serious pathology. The red-flags education will discuss tissue pathology and triage for back pain classification. Neurophysiology and the biopsychosocial mode will not be discussed. The intervention group will receive a PNE lecture. All primary and secondary outcome measures consist of validated questionnaires (e.g., RNPQ, HC-PAIRS), except for the study-specific red-flags knowledge test; the study-specific case vignette assessing guideline-concordant low back pain recommendations underwent validation testing before participant recruitment.
- Conditions
- Healthy Subjects
- Being tested
- Pain Neuroscience Education, Red Flags Education
- Keywords
- Pain, Physiotherapy students, Attitudes, Education, Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE), The Revised Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire (RNPQ), The 13-item Modified Health Care Providers Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale (HC-PAIRS), Guideline-Concordant Low Back Pain Vignette (GCLBP-V)
- Medical subject headings
- Pain, Behavior
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Pain Neuroscience EducationOther
The intervention group will receive a lecture of 70min duration on pain neuroscience. The objective of this educational session is to educate students that pain can be overprotective, and that nociceptive transmission can be heavily influenced by central sensitisation (sensitivity of the central nervous system) as well as the thoughts and beliefs of the individual. The session used drawings, stories and metaphors to depict the underlying neuroscience of pain, and current pain theory.
Red Flags EducationOther
The control group received an education session of red flags. Red flags form part of routine subjective practice for therapists as a process of screening serious or potentially sinister pathologies. Sign and symptoms for such pathologies include history of cancer, systemic symptoms such as fever or unexplained weight loss, and saddle analgesia. The red flag session will not include the neuroscience of pain.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Pain Neuroscience Education | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: Pain Neuroscience Education |
| Red Flags Education | Active comparator | Not described |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Revised Pain Neurophysiology Questionnaire (RNPQ)
The 12-item RNPQ will be used to assess knowledge of pain neurophysiology. Responses are marked yes, no or undecided. One point is awarded for correct answers. Scores range from 0 to 12, with high scores indicating good knowledge.
Measured: Before and immediately after and 6 months after the education session
The modified HC-PAIRS
The modified HC-PAIRS (Health Care Providers' Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale will be used to measure attitudes and beliefs towards patients with chronic pain and their ability to function. This 13-item questionnaire uses a 7-point Likert scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree). Scores range from 13 to 91 with lower scores suggesting more positive attitudes.
Measured: Prior to and immediately and 6 months after the education session
Secondary outcomes (1)
Guideline-concordant low back pain recommendations assessed using a case vignette
A case vignette will be used to assess participants' vignette-based clinical recommendations for a patient with non-specific low back pain. Participants will answer four multiple-choice questions addressing recommendations regarding usual daily activities, work, exercise, and bed rest. Each domain will be scored as guideline-concordant or non-guideline-concordant according to contemporary low back pain guideline recommendations. The total number of guideline-concordant recommendations will be calculated, with possible scores ranging from 0 to 4; higher scores indicate more guideline-concordant recommendations. The percentage of guideline-concordant recommendations may also be reported. The vignette was developed for this study and psychometrically evaluated before participant recruitment and before its use as a trial outcome, including expert review for content validity, cognitive pretesting, construct validity assessment, test-retest reliability, and measurement error analysis.
Measured: Baseline, immediately after the education session, and 6 months after the education session.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted11 Feb 2025
- Study start15 Feb 2024
- Primary completion13 May 2026
- Study completion13 May 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Healthy SubjectsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- The Hashemite University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Ahmad Muhsen, The Hashemite University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06821022
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 33/1/2024/2025
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 6 Feb 2025
- Last updated
- 15 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: After completion of the data collection, it will be analysed and then interpreted. I will provide you with the study results and recommendations upon completion.
Publications
Colleary G, O'Sullivan K, Griffin D, Ryan CG, Martin DJ. Effect of pain neurophysiology education on physiotherapy students' understanding of chronic pain, clinical recommendations and attitudes towards people with chronic pain: a randomised controlled trial. Physiotherapy. 2017 Dec;103(4):423-429. doi: 10.1016/j.physio.2017.01.006. Epub 2017 Mar 22.
PubMed 28797666Muhsen A, Sheeha BB. The impact of pain neuroscience education on physical therapy students' pain knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and clinical recommendations: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Med Educ. 2026 Jul 27;26(1):1698. doi: 10.1186/s12909-026-09994-y.
PubMed 42919241
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 15 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Impact of Pain Neuroscience Education on Physical Therapy Students' Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behaviors Towards Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06821022
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 33/1/2024/2025
- Conditions
- Healthy Subjects
- Keywords
- Pain, Physiotherapy students, Attitudes, Education, Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE), The Revised Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire (RNPQ), The 13-item Modified Health Care Providers Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale (HC-PAIRS), Guideline-Concordant Low Back Pain Vignette (GCLBP-V)
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- The Hashemite UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 15 Feb 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 13 May 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 13 May 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 11 Feb 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study investigates the effect of pain neuroscience education (PNE) on pain knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors among undergraduate physiotherapy students in Jordan
Detailed description
Physiotherapy students at the Hashemite University will be randomly assigned into either pain neuroscience education or control lectures groups. Both groups will receive a 70-min didactic group-lecture. The control group will receive education about red-flags which are special screening questions for serious pathology. The red-flags education will discuss tissue pathology and triage for back pain classification. Neurophysiology and the biopsychosocial mode will not be discussed. The intervention group will receive a PNE lecture. All primary and secondary outcome measures consist of validated questionnaires (e.g., RNPQ, HC-PAIRS), except for the study-specific red-flags knowledge test; the study-specific case vignette assessing guideline-concordant low back pain recommendations underwent validation testing before participant recruitment.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Pain Neuroscience Education | Experimental | Other: Pain Neuroscience Education |
| Red Flags Education | Active comparator | – |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Physiotherapy undergraduate students at the Hashemite University
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Previous formal pain education
- Enrolled in a clinical practice module
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Pain Neuroscience EducationThe intervention group will receive a lecture of 70min duration on pain neuroscience. The objective of this educational session is to educate students that pain can be overprotective, and that nociceptive transmission can be heavily influenced by central sensitisation (sensitivity of the central nervous system) as well as the thoughts and beliefs of the individual. The session used drawings, stories and metaphors to depict the underlying neuroscience of pain, and current pain theory. | Other | Pain Neuroscience Education |
| Red Flags EducationThe control group received an education session of red flags. Red flags form part of routine subjective practice for therapists as a process of screening serious or potentially sinister pathologies. Sign and symptoms for such pathologies include history of cancer, systemic symptoms such as fever or unexplained weight loss, and saddle analgesia. The red flag session will not include the neuroscience of pain. | Other | – |
Primary outcome
Revised Pain Neurophysiology Questionnaire (RNPQ)
Time frame: Before and immediately after and 6 months after the education session
The 12-item RNPQ will be used to assess knowledge of pain neurophysiology. Responses are marked yes, no or undecided. One point is awarded for correct answers. Scores range from 0 to 12, with high scores indicating good knowledge.
The modified HC-PAIRS
Time frame: Prior to and immediately and 6 months after the education session
The modified HC-PAIRS (Health Care Providers' Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale will be used to measure attitudes and beliefs towards patients with chronic pain and their ability to function. This 13-item questionnaire uses a 7-point Likert scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree). Scores range from 13 to 91 with lower scores suggesting more positive attitudes.
1 secondary outcome
Guideline-concordant low back pain recommendations assessed using a case vignette
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after the education session, and 6 months after the education session.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 15 May 2026.
- Background: PubMed 28797666Colleary G, O'Sullivan K, Griffin D, Ryan CG, Martin DJ. Effect of pain neurophysiology education on physiotherapy students' understanding of chronic pain, clinical recommendations and attitudes towards people with chronic pain: a randomised controlled trial. Physiotherapy. 2017 Dec;103(4):423-429. doi: 10.1016/j.physio.2017.01.006. Epub 2017 Mar 22.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 42919241Muhsen A, Sheeha BB. The impact of pain neuroscience education on physical therapy students' pain knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and clinical recommendations: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Med Educ. 2026 Jul 27;26(1):1698. doi: 10.1186/s12909-026-09994-y.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. After completion of the data collection, it will be analysed and then interpreted. I will provide you with the study results and recommendations upon completion.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Pain Neuroscience Education and Red Flags Education in people with Healthy Subjects, run by The Hashemite University at 1 site in Jordan.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 15 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Jordan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Revised Pain Neurophysiology Questionnaire (RNPQ) (time frame: Before and immediately after and 6 months after the education session). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06821022, which also lists 2 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 15 May 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.