THE FUTURE OF PSYCHOLOGY IN PAIN MANAGEMENT

Pain treatment facilities have proliferated in recent years and psycho logy has enjoyed considerable success in the clinical and research are nas of pain management. However, changes in the health care environmen t present significant challenges to the future of psychology in pain m anagement. This article discusses concerns in three important areas of pain treatment that psychologists must address if they are to maintai n a strong presence in this field: (1) evaluating and treating patient s in the pain treatment setting, (2) evaluating and enhancing the effi cacy of pain treatment, and (3) applying pain treatment services to ot her patient populations. With appropriate attention to these issues, p sychology can continue to thrive in pain treatment settings.