Factors predicting orofacial pain patient satisfaction with improvement

Aims: To determine psychosocial predictors of patients' ratings of satisfac tion with improvement and subjective pain relief. This study also examined the underlying components of patient satisfaction with improvement as asses sed at follow-up. Methods: The sample consisted of 107 chronic orofacial pa in patients evaluated at a university-based orofacial pain clinic and refer red for treatment with individualized treatment plans. Pain and psychosocia l functioning were assessed with standard, reliable, validated self-report instruments administered at the initial evaluation. Follow-up data were col lected via a telephone-administered structured interview 8 months after the initial evaluation. Regression methodology was used to determine predictio n models for satisfaction with improvement and subjective pain relief. Pati ent ratings of the quality of the caregiver communication were used as a co ntrol variable in all analyses. Results: Quality of caregiver communication predicted approximately 10 to 14% of the variance in outcomes in all model s. Greater initial use of cognitive coping strategies and reduced depressio n predicted higher ratings of satisfaction with improvement and increased p ain relief. When concurrent relationships among variables at the follow-up were examined, greater subjective pain relief since the evaluation, lower c urrent pain, and higher ratings of overall mood were significant predictors of patient satisfaction with improvement. Conclusion: This study is one of the first to report that the use of certain cognitive coping strategies is associated with positive outcome for patients suffering from orofacial pai n. These findings underscore the importance of individual differences on be havioral and psychosocial parameters in the prediction of patients' subject ive evaluation of treatment outcome.