Managing Chronic Pain in Veterans With Substance Use Disorders

Inclusion Criteria: * A report of pain of at least moderate or greater over the three months prior to baseline assessment as indicated by an average score of four or greater on the Numeric Rating Scale of pain intensity (NRS-I; Farrar et al. 2001); * Completion of an intake assessment in the Ann Arbor VA's SUD clinic within the three months prior to baseline assessment. The pain-related inclusion criterion will be used to ensure that participants are experiencing elevated levels of pain and, consequently, are appropriate for pain-related treatment. Exclusion Criteria: * Acute suicidality based on responses on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) confirmed by in-depth assessment of patient by the research associate; * Psychiatric condition that precludes participation in outpatient group treatment based on: * a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE; Folstein et al. 1975) score less than 21, * psychiatric hospitalization within the past month, or * endorsement of current psychotic symptoms on the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI; Derogatis 1993) combined with noticeable bizarre thoughts or behavior during the interview; * Inability to speak and understand English; and * The inability to give informed, voluntary, written consent. Decisions about exclusion criteria 1 and 2 will be made using a combination of self-reported symptoms and researcher's judgment.