New Migraine Research

by David Clarke MD

A new study of Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET) for people with migraine has found a large benefit. The lead author is Dan Kaufmann PhD from the University of Utah who spoke at the ATNS Conference.

EAET had a significant, large effect on monthly migraine days (MMD), which reduced by 7.0 days (43%) from baseline compared to a 1.7 day reduction (11%) among Wait List Controls (p=.006). Pooled data from all 24 participants who received EAET (15 in the EAET arm and 9 WLCs), found that EAET had a large effect size on MMD (P<.001, d=−0.86). See the bar graph below.

EAET also had a significant benefit compared to the control group for quality of life, anxiety, depression, allodynia, positive affect (increased), and negative affect (decreased).

Kaufmann D, Sturgeon JA et al (2026). Emotional awareness and expression therapy for migraine: a preliminary randomized controlled trial. Pain Medicine, 2026, 1–4 https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnag034