EFFECTS OF A COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL PAIN-MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

A cognitive behavioral multidisciplinary pain management program was e valuated in two separate outcome studies; one controlled study (study I) and one study conducted on a consecutive sample with a long-term fo llow-up (study II). The 4-week inpatient treatment program included ed ucation sessions, goal setting, graded activity training, pacing, appl ied relaxation, cognitive techniques, social skills training, drug red uction methods, contingency management of pain behaviors, and planning of work return, The outcome of study I showed significant between-gro up differences in favor of the treatment group on measures of occupati onal training at 1-month follow-up, activity level in the sparetime at posttreatment and at follow-up, and decreased catastrophizing and pai n behaviors at post-treatment. In study II significant improvements ov er time were found on measures of sick leave, pain intensity, pain int erference, life control, affective distress, activity level in the spa retime, physical fitness and use of analgetics at 2-month follow-up an d at 1-year follow-up. The results of the two outcome studies reported show that cognitive behavioral multidisciplinary pain management prog rams can successfully be applied to Swedish musculoskeletal pain patie nts. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.