Fw. Kraaimaat et al., THE EFFECT OF COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOR THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS, Behaviour research and therapy, 33(5), 1995, pp. 487-495
In order to examine the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy
for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) three patients groups were
studied: a cognitive behavioral therapy group (CBT), an occupational
therapy group (OT), and a waiting-list control group. The CBT received
a comprehensive, 10-session treatment package that taught progressive
relaxation, rational thinking and the differential use of pain coping
strategies. CBT resulted in minor changes in pain coping behavior at
posttreatment, while CBT and OT showed an increase of knowledge of RA.
No therapeutic effects with regard to health status were demonstrated
at posttreatment and at 6 months follow-up. Clinical and laboratory m
easures of disease activity revealed progressive deterioration of the
patients during the course of the study. It is suggested that the inef
fectiveness of CBT might be due to the progressive course of RA in the
patients studied, as well as to the rather small changes in coping be
havior.