Publications [#291329] of Francis J. Keefe

Journal Articles

1. Balderson, BH; McCurry, SM; Vitiello, MV; Shortreed, SM; Rybarczyk, BD; Keefe, FJ; Korff, MV (2016). Information without Implementation: A Practical Example for Developing a Best Practice Education Control Group.. Behav Sleep Med, 14(5), 514-527. [doi]
   (last updated on 2025/06/16)

   Abstract:
   This article considers methodology for developing an education-only control group and proposes a simple approach to designing rigorous and well-accepted control groups. This approach is demonstrated in a large randomized trial. The Lifestyles trial (n = 367) compared three group interventions: (a) cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) for osteoarthritis pain, (b) CBT for osteoarthritis pain and insomnia, and (c) education-only control (EOC). EOC emulated the interventions excluding hypothesized treatment components and controlling for nonspecific treatment effects. Results showed this approach resulted in a control group that was highly credible and acceptable to patients. This approach can be an effective and practical guide for developing high-quality control groups in trials of behavioral interventions.