Project Summary
This K01 career development award will provide Dr. Pratscher mentored training experiences that will
accelerate his transition to independence as a productive researcher investigating complementary and
integrative approaches for chronic pain, whole person health, and emotional well-being. Chronic pain is a
major source of human suffering, and chronic low back pain (cLBP) is one of the most common, costly, and
burdensome pain conditions. Pain is a sensory and affective experience, and psychosocial factors, such as
emotional distress (e.g., depression), stressful life events (e.g., trauma), and unexpressed emotions (e.g.,
anger), contribute substantially to the persistence of pain. There is an urgent need for integrative treatments
that address this complexity of chronic pain and provide significant and lasting pain relief. Breathwork
interventions (i.e., therapeutic breathing practices) are promising treatments because they incorporate one of
our most integrated physiological processes, respiration, to simultaneously address both physical and
emotional causes and consequences of chronic pain. Therefore, the aims of the proposed research are to 1)
develop and refine a multicomponent breathwork intervention (derived from Biodynamic Breathwork Trauma
Release System) and to 2) iteratively evaluate its feasibility and acceptability in people with cLBP. Specifically,
we will create a treatment manual to guide intervention sessions and adapt treatment fidelity evaluations to
assess therapist competence and adherence to the manual. Then, we will conduct three single-arm iterations
of the 8-week, individually delivered intervention, followed by a pilot randomized controlled trial comparing the
most refined version of the intervention to usual care. Upon completion of each iteration, we will gather
quantitative and qualitative data and meet with a panel of experts to discuss possible modifications to the
intervention or protocol before proceeding with the next iteration. This work will result in a refined and
reproducible multicomponent breathwork intervention that can be tested for efficacy in future research, which
the candidate plans to pursue with an R-level application written during this award period. The University of
Florida has a thriving clinical pain research environment that will support the candidate in completing the
proposed research and career development plan. Guidance from an excellent mentoring team in addition to
several training activities (e.g., seminars, conferences, independent study) will allow Dr. Pratscher to
accomplish the following objectives: (1) build a foundation of knowledge in chronic pain research with
emphases on biopsychosocial treatment factors; (2) obtain expertise in the processes of intervention
development, refinement, and testing; and (3) enhance proficiency in the design and conduct of clinical trials to
develop into a successful independent principal investigator. By completing the proposed project and training
activities, Dr. Pratscher will become an independent scientist and leader in the field of breathwork interventions
for chronic pain and whole person health.