E. Bru et al., EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS ON NECK, SHOULDER AND LOW-BACK-PAIN IN FEMALE HOSPITAL STAFF, Psychology & health, 9(5), 1994, pp. 371-382
One hundred and eleven females volunteered to take part in this interv
ention study of musculoskeletal pain. They all completed a survey of p
ain among five hundred and eighty-six female hospital staff and presen
ted mild to severe pain in the neck, shoulder and/or low back. They we
re randomly assigned to one of the following groups; Focus on job-stre
ss and psychosocial coping (Cognitive), relaxation training (Relaxatio
n), the combination of the two (Combined) or to a control group (Contr
ol). Musculoskeletal pain (intensity and duration) was assessed by sel
f-report prior to interventions, immediately after interventions, and
at a four months follow-up. Results from multivariate analyses of vari
ance as well as covariance (pre-intervention levels of pain as covaria
te) showed that magnitude of pain reduction was dependent upon the int
eraction between area of the back and type of intervention. These tren
ds were more significant for intensity than for duration scores. They
were due to reductions of pain in (1) neck and shoulders for the Cogni
tive and Combined groups and (2) in the low back and shoulders for the
Relaxation group. The four month follow-up assessment revealed a sign
ificant risk of relapse only for duration of low back pain among subje
cts in the Combined group. Results from the Cognitive approach to inte
rvention may reflect a causal role for ability to cope with psychosoci
al job stress in the development of neck and shoulder pain in female h
ospital staff.