EVALUATION OF A MULTIMODAL TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR FIBROMYALGIA

A quasi-experimental design was used to assess a multimodal pain treat ment program for female patients with fibromyalgia to ascertain immedi ate and long-term effects. Laboratory and self-report pain measures to gether with psychological measures were obtained from patients who wer e tested up to 6 months after treatment. Comparison data were also obt ained from fibromyalgia patients who failed to qualify for the treatme nt program because of insurance coverage. Immediate and long-term trea tment effects were evident with the psychological measures and the sub jective pain measures bur not with the laboratory pain measures. Parti cipants who attended the month-long multimodal program achieved signif icant and positive changes on most of the outcome measures. However re lapse prevention must be addressed.