Coping or acceptance: what to do about chronic pain?

Acute psychosocial stress and emotion regulation skills modulate empathic reactions to pain in others

Psychosocial stress affects resources for adequate coping with environmental demands. A crucial question in this context is the extent to which acute psychosocial stressors impact empathy and emotion regulation. In the present study, 120 participants were randomly assigned to a control group vs. a group confronted with the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), an established paradigm for the induction of acute psychosocial stress. Empathy for pain as a specific subgroup of empathy was assessed via pain intensity ratings during a pain-picture task. Self-reported emotion regulation skills were measured as predictors using an established questionnaire. Stressed individuals scored significantly lower on the appraisal of pain pictures. A regression model was chosen to find variables that further predict the pain ratings. These findings implicate that acute psychosocial stress might impair empathic processes to observed pain in another person and the ability to accept one's emotion additionally predicts the empathic reaction. Furthermore, the ability to tolerate negative emotions modulated the relation between stress and pain judgments, and thus influenced core cognitive-affective functions relevant for coping with environmental challenges. In conclusion, our study emphasizes the necessity of reducing negative emotions in terms of empathic distress when confronted with pain of another person under psychosocial stress, in order to be able to retain pro-social behavior.

Impact of iyengar yoga on quality of life in young women with rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVE

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, disabling disease that can greatly compromise health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a 6-week twice/week Iyengar yoga program on HRQoL of young adults with RA compared with a usual-care waitlist control group.

METHODS

The program was designed to improve the primary outcome of HRQoL including pain and disability and psychological functioning in patients. Assessments were collected pretreatment, posttreatment, and at 2 months after treatment. Weekly ratings of anxiety, depression, pain, and sleep were also recorded. A total of 26 participants completed the intervention (yoga=11; usual-care waitlist=15). All participants were female (mean age=28 y).

RESULTS

Overall attrition was low at 15%. On average, women in the yoga group attended 96% of the yoga classes. No adverse events were reported. Relative to the usual-care waitlist, women assigned to the yoga program showed significantly greater improvement on standardized measures of HRQoL, pain disability, general health, mood, fatigue, acceptance of chronic pain, and self-efficacy regarding pain at posttreatment. Almost half of the yoga group reported clinically meaningful symptom improvement. Analysis of the uncontrolled effects and maintenance of treatment effects showed improvements in HRQoL general health, pain disability, and weekly ratings of pain, anxiety, and depression were maintained at follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that a brief Iyengar yoga intervention is a feasible and safe adjunctive treatment for young people with RA, leading to HRQoL, pain disability, fatigue, and mood benefits. Moreover, improvements in quality of life, pain disability, and mood persisted at the 2-month follow-up.

The process of acceptance among rheumatoid arthritis patients in Switzerland: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, painful disease with many injurious psychological effects. Acceptance is an important component of pain management and is associated with improved quality of life, and lower levels of pain and depression. While studies have begun to identify the stages of acceptance, little is known about factors influencing the ease and speed with which patients pass through these stages.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the main stages through which RA patients pass and the strategies they adopt to learn to live with the pain, and to identify factors shaping patients' capacities to achieve acceptance.

METHODS

A qualitative study involving 20 semistructured interviews with RA patients in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland was conducted. Analysis of the data followed the precepts of grounded theory.

RESULTS

Although the present study revealed that acceptance is not a smooth or linear process, five main stages in patients' struggles to accommodate the newly imposed limitations were, nonetheless, identified: naming the illness; realizing the illness; resisting the illness; 'hitting the bottom'; and integrating the illness. Diagnosis proved to be an especially tortuous stage in the case of RA, and the effects of delayed diagnosis continued to be felt during the subsequent stages. Patients' understanding of the notion of acceptance and the strategies that they used to achieve it were also explored.

CONCLUSIONS

Diagnosis of RA is notoriously difficult. Beyond the clinical difficulties, structural reasons for late diagnosis (symptoms being neglected by patients and medical professionals) were identifed. Delayed diagnosis hindered the acceptance process throughout, and led to more resistant behaviour and to a struggle to achieve the optimal formula for acceptance - accepting the losses of prepain life while still pursuing personal goals.

A biopsychosocial-spiritual model of chronic pain in adults with sickle cell disease

Chronic pain in adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) is a complex multidimensional experience that includes biologic, psychologic, sociologic, and spiritual factors. To date, three models of pain associated with SCD (i.e., biomedical model, biopsychosocial model for SCD pain, and Health Beliefs Model) have been published. The biopsychosocial multidimensional approach to chronic pain developed by Turk and Gatchel is a widely used model of chronic pain. However, this model has not been applied to chronic pain associated with SCD. In addition, a spiritual/religious dimension is not included in this model. Because spirituality/religion is central to persons affected by SCD, that dimension needs to be added to any model of chronic pain in adults with SCD. In fact, data from one study suggest that spirituality/religiosity is associated with decreased pain intensity in adults with chronic pain from SCD. A biopsychosocial-spiritual model is proposed for adults with chronic pain from SCD, because it embraces the whole person. This model includes the biologic, psychologic, sociologic, and spiritual factors relevant to adults with SCD based on past and current research. The purpose of this paper is to describe an adaptation of Turk and Gatchel's model of chronic pain for adults with SCD and to summarize research findings that support each component of the revised model (i.e., biologic, psychologic, sociologic, spiritual). The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for the use of this model in research.

Living with chronic low back pain: a metasynthesis of qualitative research

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this qualitative metasynthesis is to articulate the knowledge gained from a review of qualitative studies of patients' experiences of chronic low back pain. METHODS Meta-ethnographic methodology guided the review of 33 articles representing 28 studies published in English in peer-reviewed journals between 2000 and 2012. A systematic comparison of the main themes from each study was conducted and 'synthesised' to create superordinate themes. RESULTS Three overarching interrelated themes were identified: the impact of chronic low back pain on self; relationships with significant others that incorporated two streams - health professionals and the organisation of care and relationships with family and friends; coping with chronic low back pain. Coping strategies were predominantly physical therapies, medication and avoidance behaviours with very few successful strategies reported. Professional and family support, self-efficacy, motivation, work conditions and exercise opportunities influenced pain experiences. Review authors' recommendations included psychological therapies, education, the facilitation of self-management strategies and support groups. DISCUSSION The review substantiates chronic low back pain as complex, dynamic and multidimensional, underpinned by experiences of persistent distressing pain, loss, and lowered self-worth, stigma, depression, premature aging, fear of the future. Future research should address the paucity of longitudinal studies, loss and issues of ethnicity, gender, ageing.

A multicentre postal survey investigating the contribution of illness perceptions, coping and optimism to quality of life and mood in adults with muscle disease

OBJECTIVE

To replicate the finding that illness perceptions influence quality of life in adults with muscle disease and to explore the additional influence of coping and optimism on quality of life and mood.

DESIGN

A postal survey including questionnaires recording quality of life, mood, illness perceptions, optimism, coping and functional impairment.

SETTING

National Health Service muscle clinics in the United Kingdom.

PARTICIPANTS

A convenience sample of adults with muscle disease.

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Individualised Neuromuscular Quality of Life Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

RESULTS

A total of 226 completed questionnaires were returned. Although functional impairment explained most of the variance in three out of eight quality of life domains, psychological factors explained greater amounts of variance (between 19% and 52% of variance) in all other quality of life domains and in both mood domains (between 45% and 48% of variance). Overall, illness perceptions explained much of the variance in quality of life and mood score (between 5% and 37% of variance), while coping (up to 8% of variance) and optimism (up to 15% of variance) explained smaller amounts of variance.

CONCLUSION

The results confirm that illness perceptions are associated with quality of life in muscle disease and suggest that they also influence mood. The addition of optimism and coping variables into the analysis yielded small increases in the proportions of variance in quality of life and mood which were explained. These results have implications for the composition of future psychological interventions.

A meta-ethnography of patients’ experience of chronic non-malignant musculoskeletal pain

Background

The alleviation of pain is a key aim of health care yet pain can often remain a puzzle as it is not always explained by a specific pathology. Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain is one of the most predominant kinds of chronic pain and its prevalence is increasing. One of the aims of qualitative research in health care is to understand the experience of illness, and make sense of the complex processes involved. However, the proliferation of qualitative studies can make it difficult to use this knowledge. There has been no attempt to systematically review and integrate the findings of qualitative research in order to increase our understanding of chronic MSK pain. A synthesis of qualitative research would help us to understand what it is like to have chronic MSK pain. Specifically, it would help us understand peoples' experience of health care with the aim of improving it.

Aim

The aim of this study was to increase our understanding of patients’ experience of chronic non-malignant MSK pain; utilise existing research knowledge to improve understanding and, thus, best practice in patient care; and contribute to the development of methods for qualitative research synthesis.

Methods

We used the methods of meta-ethnography, which aim to develop concepts that help us to understand a particular experience, by synthesising research findings. We searched six electronic bibliographic databases (including MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsycINFO) and included studies up until the final search in February 2012. We also hand-searched particular journals known to report qualitative studies and searched reference lists of all relevant qualitative studies for further potential studies. We appraised each study to decide whether or not to include it. The full texts of 321 potentially relevant studies were screened, of which 77 qualitative studies that explored adults’ experience of chronic non-malignant MSK pain were included. Twenty-eight of these studies explored the experience of fibromyalgia.

Results

Our findings revealed the new concept of an adversarial struggle that explains the experience of people with chronic MSK pain. This included the struggle to affirm self and construct self over time; find an explanation for pain; negotiate the health-care system while feeling compelled to stay in it; be valued and believed; and find the right balance between sick/well and hiding/showing pain. In spite of this struggle, our model showed that some people were able to move forward alongside their pain by listening to their body rather than fighting it; letting go of the old self and finding a new self; becoming part of a community and not feeling like the only one; telling others about pain and redefining relationships; realising that pain is here to stay rather than focusing on diagnosis and cure; and becoming the expert and making choices. We offer unique methodological innovations for meta-ethnography, which allowed us to develop a conceptual model that is grounded in 77 original studies. In particular, we describe a collaborative approach to interpreting the primary studies.

Conclusion

Our model helps us to understand the experience of people with chronic MSK pain as a constant adversarial struggle. This may distinguish it from other types of pain. This study opens up possibilities for therapies that aim to help a person to move forward alongside pain. Our findings call on us to challenge some of the cultural notions about illness, in particular the expectation of achieving a diagnosis and cure. Cultural expectations are deep-rooted and can deeply affect the experience of pain. We therefore should incorporate cultural categories into our understanding of pain. Not feeling believed can have an impact on a person’s participation in everyday life. The qualitative studies in this meta-ethnography revealed that people with chronic MSK pain still do not feel believed. This has clear implications for clinical practice. Our model suggests that central to the relationship between patient and practitioner is the recognition of the patient as a person whose life has been deeply changed by pain. Listening to a person’s narratives can help us to understand the impact of pain. Our model suggests that feeling valued is not simply an adjunct to the therapy, but central to it. Further conceptual syntheses would help us make qualitative research accessible to a wider relevant audience. Further primary qualitative research focusing on reconciling acceptance with moving forward with pain might help us to further understand the experience of pain. Our study highlights the need for research to explore educational strategies aimed at improving patients’ and clinicians’ experience of care.

Funding

The National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme.

Predictors of painkiller dependence among people with pain in the general population

OBJECTIVES

Self-medication with painkillers is widespread and increasing, and evidence about influences on painkiller dependence is needed to inform efforts to prevent and treat problem painkiller use.

DESIGN

Online questionnaire survey.

PARTICIPANTS

People in the general population who had pain and used painkillers in the last month (N = 112).

MEASUREMENTS

Pain frequency and intensity, use of over-the-counter and prescription painkillers, risk of substance abuse (Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain [SOAPP] scale), depression, anxiety, stress, alexithymia, pain catastrophizing, pain anxiety, pain self-efficacy, pain acceptance, mindfulness, self-compassion, and painkiller dependence (Leeds Dependence Questionnaire).

RESULTS

In multiple regression, the independent predictors of painkiller dependence were prescription painkiller use (β 0.21), SOAPP score (β 0.31), and pain acceptance (β -0.29). Prescription painkiller use mediated the influence of pain intensity. Alexithymia, anxiety, and pain acceptance all moderated the influence of pain.

CONCLUSIONS

The people most at risk of developing painkiller dependence are those who use prescription painkillers more frequently, who have a prior history of substance-related problems more generally, and who are less accepting of pain. Based on these findings, a preliminary model is presented with three types of influence on the development of painkiller dependence: 1) pain leading to painkiller use, 2) risk factors for substance-related problems irrespective of pain, and 3) psychological factors related to pain. The model could guide further research among the general population and high-risk groups, and acceptance-based interventions could be adapted and evaluated as methods to prevent and treat painkiller dependence.

The first 2 years of rheumatoid arthritis: The influence of acceptance on pain, physical limitation and depression

The influence of acceptance in the progression of pain, physical limitation and depression was explored in the first 2 years of rheumatoid arthritis. Latent growth curve models showed significant increases in pain, physical limitation and depression. Besides that, the levels of pain and physical limitation at the baseline were associated with acceptance but not its progression across time. Therefore, patients with higher scores of acceptance reported less pain and physical limitation. The progression of depression was associated with acceptance; higher acceptance patients had slower growth rates of depression across time, even when pain and physical limitations increased. The inclusion of pain acceptance in clinical practice is discussed.

Acceptance of pain in neurological disorders: associations with functioning and psychosocial well-being

OBJECTIVE

Chronic pain acceptance has been shown to be related to positive adjustment to chronic pain in patients presenting with pain as a primary problem. However, the role of pain acceptance in adjustment to chronic pain secondary to a neurological disorder that is often associated with physical disability has not been determined. The purpose of this study was to examine whether two domains of chronic pain acceptance--activity engagement and pain willingness--predict adjustment to pain, controlling for pain intensity and key demographic and clinical variables in individuals with muscular dystrophy (MD), multiple sclerosis (MS), post-polio syndrome (PPS), or spinal cord injury (SCI).

METHOD

Participants were 508 community-dwelling adults with a diagnosis of MD, MS, PPS, or SCI who also endorsed a chronic pain problem. Participants completed self-report measures of pain acceptance, quality of life, pain interference, pain intensity, depression, and social role satisfaction.

RESULTS

Hierarchical linear regressions indicated that activity engagement predicted lower pain interference and depression, and greater quality of life and social role satisfaction. Pain willingness predicted less pain interference and depression. Together, the two pain acceptance subscales accounted for more variance in outcomes than did self-reported pain intensity.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings correspond with the broader pain acceptance literature, although activity engagement appears to be a more robust predictor of adjustment than does pain willingness. This research supports the need for future studies to determine the extent to which treatments that increase acceptance result in positive outcomes in persons with chronic pain secondary to neurological disorders.

Screening for pain in pediatric brain tumor survivors using the pain thermometer

Numerous instruments have been developed to measure pain within various populations; however, there remains limited understanding of how these tools are applicable to childhood cancer survivors. This study compared a single-item screening measure, the Pain Thermometer (PT), with a more in-depth measure, the Brief Pain Survey (BPS), in a cohort of childhood brain tumor survivors. Ninety-nine survivors (aged 13-32 years) with a median time from diagnosis of 9.9 years (range = 2-18 years) completed the 2 instruments. Thirty-seven survivors (37.4%) were identified on the BPS as having clinically significant pain, but the PT was not found to be an accurate tool for identifying these pain cases. Application of receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of PT ratings against BPS criterion indicated overall concordance between measures. No cutoff score on the PT were identified that resulted in acceptable sensitivity, meaning pain cases identified on the BPS would be missed on the PT. Findings suggest that a multi-item screening measure may better identify clinically significant pain in childhood brain tumor survivors compared with a 1-item screening measure alone.

Acceptance of tinnitus: validation of the tinnitus acceptance questionnaire

The concept of acceptance has recently received growing attention within tinnitus research due to the fact that tinnitus acceptance is one of the major targets of psychotherapeutic treatments. Accordingly, acceptance-based treatments will most likely be increasingly offered to tinnitus patients and assessments of acceptance-related behaviours will thus be needed. The current study investigated the factorial structure of the Tinnitus Acceptance Questionnaire (TAQ) and the role of tinnitus acceptance as mediating link between sound perception (i.e. subjective loudness of tinnitus) and tinnitus distress. In total, 424 patients with chronic tinnitus completed the TAQ and validated measures of tinnitus distress, anxiety, and depression online. Confirmatory factor analysis provided support to a good fit of the data to the hypothesised bifactor model (root-mean-square-error of approximation = .065; Comparative Fit Index = .974; Tucker-Lewis Index = .958; standardised root mean square residual = .032). In addition, mediation analysis, using a non-parametric joint coefficient approach, revealed that tinnitus-specific acceptance partially mediated the relation between subjective tinnitus loudness and tinnitus distress (path ab = 5.96; 95% CI: 4.49, 7.69). In a multiple mediator model, tinnitus acceptance had a significantly stronger indirect effect than anxiety. The results confirm the factorial structure of the TAQ and suggest the importance of a general acceptance factor that contributes important unique variance beyond that of the first-order factors activity engagement and tinnitus suppression. Tinnitus acceptance as measured with the TAQ is proposed to be a key construct in tinnitus research and should be further implemented into treatment concepts to reduce tinnitus distress.

Understanding why cognitive-behavioral therapy is an effective treatment for adolescents with juvenile fibromyalgia

Recent studies have demonstrated that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for children and adolescents with juvenile fibromyalgia. Unfortunately, the specific psychological changes that occur during treatment that explain why CBT works are not well understood. Historically, the increased use of specific coping strategies learned during CBT was thought to be the primary reason for why CBT was effective. However, evidence to support the notion that increases in adaptive coping directly lead to patient improvement is minimal. Instead, a growing number of studies in adults suggest that CBT results in more global changes of psychological perceptions of the pain itself (cognitive appraisals) and one's ability to manage the pain. This report discusses the role of coping and aspects of cognitive appraisal as potential psychological changes that explain CBT-related improvements for youths with juvenile fibromyalgia.

Effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral group intervention for knee osteoarthritis pain: protocol of a randomized controlled trial

Background

Knee osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, with pain being its most common symptom. Little is known about the psychological aspects of knee osteoarthritis pain. There is an emerging consensus among osteoarthritis specialists about the importance of addressing not only biological but also psychosocial factors in the assessment and treatment of osteoarthritis. As few studies have evaluated the effect of psychological interventions on knee osteoarthritis pain, good quality randomized controlled trials are needed to determine their effectiveness.

Methods/Design

We intend to conduct a 6-week single-blinded randomized controlled trial with a 12-month follow-up. Altogether, 108 patients aged from 35 to 75 years with clinical symptoms and radiographic grading (KL 2–4) of knee osteoarthritis will be included. The clinical inclusion criteria are pain within the last year in or around the knee occurring on most days for at least one month, and knee pain of ≥40 mm on a 100-mm visual analogue scale in the WOMAC pain subscale for one week prior to study entry. Patients with any severe psychiatric disorder, other back or lower limb pain symptoms more aggravating than knee pain, or previous or planned lower extremity joint surgery will be excluded. The patients will be randomly assigned to a combined GP care and cognitive-behavioral intervention group (n = 54) or to a GP care control group (n = 54). The cognitive-behavioral intervention will consist of 6 weekly group sessions supervised by a psychologist and a physiotherapist experienced in the treatment of pain. The main goals of the intervention are to reduce maladaptive pain coping and to increase the self-management of pain and disability. The follow-up-points will be arranged at 3 and 12 months. The primary outcome measure will be the WOMAC pain subscale. Secondary outcome measures will include self-reports of pain and physical function, a health related quality of life questionnaire, and various psychological questionnaires. Personnel responsible of the data analysis will be blinded.

Discussion

This study addresses the current topic of non-pharmacological conservative treatment of knee OA-related pain. We anticipate that these results will provide important new insights to the current care recommendations.

Trial registration

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN64794760

Perceived injustice moderates the relationship between pain and depressive symptoms among individuals with persistent musculoskeletal pain

BACKGROUND

Numerous investigations report that depressive symptoms frequently coexist with persistent pain. However, evidence suggests that symptoms of depression are not an inevitable consequence of pain. Diathesis-stress formulations suggest that psychological factors interact with the stress of pain to heighten the risk of depressive symptoms. Perceptions of injustice have recently emerged as a factor that may interact with the stress of pain to increase depressive symptoms.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the present study was to examine whether perceived injustice moderates the relationship between pain and depressive symptoms.

METHODS

A total of 107 individuals with persistent musculoskeletal pain completed self-report measures of pain severity, depressive symptoms, perceived injustice and catastrophizing.

RESULTS

A hierarchical regression analysis revealed that the interaction between pain severity and perceived injustice uniquely contributed an additional 6% of the variance to the prediction of depressive symptoms, beyond the main effects of these variables. Post hoc probing indicated that pain was significantly related to depressive symptoms at high, but not low levels of perceived injustice. This finding remained statistically significant even when controlling for pain catastrophizing.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that perceived injustice augments the relationship between pain severity and depressive symptoms. The inclusion of techniques specifically targeting perceptions of injustice may enhance the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing symptoms of depression for individuals presenting with strong perceptions of injustice.

The relationship between acceptance, catastrophizing and illness representations in chronic pain

BACKGROUND

Cognitive- and acceptance-based approaches are used to help people live with chronic pain. Little is known about how these constructs relate to each other. In this study, we examined how cognitive representations of chronic pain relate to interpersonal styles such as catastrophizing and the behavioural process of acceptance of chronic pain. This study further examined how these processes relate to emotional and physical functioning in chronic pain.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design, employing validated questionnaires, was used to measure pain, emotional and physical dysfunction, illness representations, catastrophizing and acceptance in a heterogeneous sample of 150 chronic pain sufferers.

RESULTS

The psychological variables significantly mediated the impact of pain severity on both emotional and physical dysfunction. In addition, a distinct pattern of mediation was observed. The relationship between pain and emotional dysfunction was mediated by representations of pain as a highly emotive experience and by catastrophizing; acceptance did not mediate this relationship. By contrast, the relationship between pain and physical dysfunction was mediated by acceptance and representations of high consequences of chronic pain, but not by catastrophizing.

CONCLUSIONS

Pain severity itself is a relatively poor predictor of emotional and physical dysfunction in chronic pain states. These relationships are significantly mediated by psychological variables. Different approaches to chronic pain rehabilitation emphasize different targets (changing illness representations and reducing catastrophizing vs. acceptance and behavioural activation). This cross-sectional study suggests that these processes may differentially influence outcomes, but that they are complex and overlapping. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

Acceptance and values-based treatment of adolescents with chronic pain: outcomes and their relationship to acceptance

OBJECTIVE

Psychological treatments for pediatric chronic pain are moderately effective. However, there have been few studies of the psychological processes associated with treatment response. This study examines the effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) treatment on a severely disabled group of adolescents with chronic pain, examining relationships between outcome and acceptance.

METHODS

98 adolescents with pain, mean age 15.6 years, underwent an uncontrolled trial of 3-week residential ACT treatment.

RESULTS

Adolescents improved in self-reported functioning and objective physical performance at 3-month follow-up. They were less anxious and catastrophic, attended school more regularly, and used health care facilities less often. Most positive treatment outcomes were associated with improvements in acceptance.

CONCLUSIONS

An intensive ACT-based pain rehabilitation course was an effective treatment for disabled adolescents with chronic pain. Its results were theoretically consistent--improvements were associated with changes in acceptance and were achieved without pain control or cognitive restructuring techniques.

Distinctiveness of long-term pain that does not interfere with life: an observational cohort study

BACKGROUND

Reporting of pain that does not interfere with life is common in the older population but little is known about people with such long-term non-interfering pain.

OBJECTIVES

To assess whether non-interfering pain can be a long-term state, and to compare this group with those who continuously report no pain, and with those with chronic pain that interferes with life.

METHODS

This was a prospective general population cohort study set within the North Staffordshire Osteoarthritis Project (NorStOP). People aged 50 plus were sent baseline, 3-year and 6-year questionnaires. Those who reported the same pain status (no pain, non-interfering pain, interfering pain) at each time point were compared on pain intensity, widespread pain and medication, and on sociodemographic and co-morbid characteristics at 6 years.

RESULTS

Forty percent of responders reported the same pain status at each time point; 12% reported long-term non-interfering pain. Fifty-nine percent of those with non-interfering pain reported at least one site of high pain intensity, 33% reported widespread pain, and 90% had used pain medication in the past 4 weeks. This group was similar to the no-pain group but distinct on sociodemographic and co-morbid measures from those with pain that interfered.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term non-interfering pain is common, but despite often suffering from high pain intensity and widespread pain, those within this group seem to be able to control their pain without allowing it to affect their everyday lives. Future work is needed to assess how people with long-term pain ensure it does not cause interference with life.

Pain acceptance-based coping in complex regional pain syndrome Type I: daily relations with pain intensity, activity, and mood

This study aimed to examine the temporal patterning of pain acceptance-based coping, activity, and mood in patients with complex regional pain syndrome Type I (CRPS-I), by using a daily diary method. A total of 30 patients with CRPS-I seeking treatment in a tertiary pain management center located in Seoul, Korea participated in the study. Multilevel random effects analyses indicated that (a) engagement in pain acceptance-based coping was significantly associated with lower same-day pain and negative mood and greater same-day activity and positive mood; (b) pain acceptance-based coping predicted increases in activity on the following day; (c) greater pain intensity was significantly associated with lower same-day pain acceptance-based coping and activity and greater same-day negative mood; and (d) pain intensity did not predict pain acceptance-based coping, activity, or mood on the following day. These findings suggest that patients with CRPS-I may benefit from responding to pain with acceptance. Further study and eventual application of this process in CRPS-I may improve upon the success of current approaches to this problem.

Activity pacing, avoidance, endurance, and associations with patient functioning in chronic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review the associations between different approaches to activity (ie, activity pacing, avoidance, or endurance) and indicators of patient functioning in chronic pain samples.

DATA SOURCES

A key word search was conducted in PsycINFO, MEDLINE via Ovid, EMBASE, and PubMed up to March 2011.

STUDY SELECTION

To be included, studies had to (1) be written in English, (2) report on an adult chronic pain sample, and (3) report a correlation coefficient between at least 1 measure of 1 of the 3 "approach to activity" variables and an indicator of patient functioning.

DATA EXTRACTION

Two reviewers independently screened abstracts and full-text articles for eligibility and extracted the data. Results of correlation analyses were grouped on the basis of measure of approach to activity (pacing/avoidance/endurance) and the criterion variable measured (pain/physical functioning/psychological functioning), resulting in 9 categories. Random-effects modeling was then used to pool data across studies in each category.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Forty-one studies were eligible for inclusion. Results demonstrated that avoidance of activity was consistently associated with more pain, poorer psychological functioning, and more physical disability. While enduring with activity was associated with enhanced physical and psychological functioning, these relationships appeared to be dependent on the measure used, with measures more reflective of persisting with activities to the point of severe pain aggravation (overactivity) linked to poorer outcomes. Pacing was generally linked to better psychological functioning but more pain and disability.

CONCLUSIONS

Although causation cannot be determined, results of this study suggest that both avoidance of activity and overactivity are associated with poorer patient outcomes. Unexpected results relating to pacing may reflect either the ineffectiveness of pacing if not used to gradually increase an individual's activity level or the notion that individuals with better psychological functioning but more pain and disability are more inclined to pace activity.

Couples coping with multiple sclerosis: a dyadic perspective on the roles of mindfulness and acceptance

This study investigated the roles of mindfulness and acceptance on adjustment in couples coping with multiple sclerosis (MS) by examining the effects of an individual's mindfulness and acceptance on their own adjustment (actor effects) and the effects of their partner's mindfulness and acceptance on their adjustment (partner effects) using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. The study was a cross-sectional standard dyadic design that collected data from couples coping with MS. Sixty-nine couples completed measures of mindfulness, acceptance and adjustment (depression, anxiety, life satisfaction, positive affect and relationship satisfaction). As hypothesised there were actor effects of mindfulness and acceptance on better adjustment, however, the beneficial actor effects of mindfulness were only evident on depression and anxiety. The actor effects of both mindfulness and acceptance on relationship satisfaction were moderated by MS status. Regarding partner effects, there was support for the beneficial impact of acceptance on partner relationship satisfaction. In addition, the partner effect of acceptance moderated the actor effect of acceptance on depression, such that the actor effect on lower depression was weaker when the partner reported high acceptance. Findings support the roles of mindfulness and acceptance in shaping individual and dyadic adjustment in couples coping with chronic illness.

Attention to pain and fear of pain in patients with chronic pain

To investigate how acceptance of illness affects chronic pain in terms of attention towards pain and fearful thinking of pain. 62 participants (50 women) with chronic pain carried a palmtop computer for 2 weeks. Eight times each day auditory signals were delivered to cue participants to complete questions about their experience. Multilevel analyses indicated that on moments with more intense pain, more fearful thinking about pain, and less positive emotions, attention to pain was increased. Illness acceptance did not moderate the relation between pain intensity and attention to pain. Results further indicated that on moments with more intense pain, more negative emotions, and less positive emotions, fearful thinking about pain was increased. Of particular interest was the finding that the relationship between pain intensity and fearful thinking about pain was less strong for those high in acceptance. Pain captures attention and elicits fearful thinking about pain. Acceptance may be a useful avenue to lower negative thinking about pain, and to increase well-being in patients with chronic illnesses.

Integration einer existenziellen Perspektive in ein kognitiv-behaviorales Schmerzbewältigungsprogramm

Zusammenfassung. Hintergrund: In der vorliegenden Studie wird das Einbeziehen einer existenziellen Perspektive in ein kognitiv-behaviorales Schmerzbewältigungsprogramm empirisch überprüft. Die existenzielle Perspektive hat einen akkommodativen Schwerpunkt im Gegensatz zum assimilativen Fokus herkömmlicher Programme. Hypothesen: Beide Behandlungsgruppen sollten im Prä-Post-Vergleich eine signifikant geringere schmerzbedingte Behinderung als auch eine signifikant höhere Lebensqualität aufweisen. Die Experimentalgruppe sollte darüber hinaus einen signifikant höheren Therapieerfolg als die Kontrollgruppe aufweisen. Methode: 149 Patienten mit chronischen Schmerzen nahmen im Rahmen eines interdisziplinären Klinikaufenthaltes entweder an einer rein kognitiv-behavioralen Schmerzbewältigungsgruppe (n = 70) oder an einem existenziell ergänzten Gruppenprogramm (n = 79) teil. Die Auswertung der Prä-Post-Vergleiche erfolgte mit einer MANOVA mit Messwiederholung sowie nachfolgenden zweifaktoriellen Varianzanalysen mit Messwiederholung. Ergebnisse: Beide Behandlungsgruppen zeigen signifikante Verbesserungen bei großen Effektstärken. Die Experimentalgruppe zeigt darüber hinaus einen signifikant höheren Therapieerfolg hinsichtlich schmerzbedingter Behinderung bei kleiner Effektgröße. Weiterhin ergaben sich ein differenzieller Effekt für die Personen mit niedrigerem Ausbildungsgrad sowie höhere Zufriedenheitswerte für die existenzielle Intervention. Schlussfolgerung: Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass auch im Rahmen eines umfassenden stationären Klinikaufenthaltes die Implementierung einer existenziellen Intervention einen bedeutsamen zusätzlichen Effekt haben kann. Dies scheint insbesondere für die große Gruppe der Patienten mit formal niedrigerem Ausbildungsgrad zu gelten.

Psychological interventions for headache in children and adolescents

Headache in children and adolescents represents a number of complex and multifaceted pain syndromes that can benefit from psychological intervention. There is good evidence for the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation training, and biofeedback. The choice of intervention is influenced by patients' age, sex, family and cultural background, as well as the nature of stressors and comorbid psychiatric symptoms. Management must always be family-centered. Psychological treatments are essential elements of the multidisciplinary, biopsychosocial management of primary headache disorders, particularly for those with frequent or chronic headache, a high level of headache-related disability, medication overuse, or comorbid psychiatric symptoms. Future studies of efficacy and effectiveness of psychological treatment should use the International Headache Society's definition and classification of headache disorders, and stratify results by headache type, associated conditions, and treatment modality.

Self-management of chronic pain in Malaysian patients: effectiveness trial with 1-year follow-up

Self-management of chronic illnesses has been widely recognised as an important goal on quality of life, health service utilisation and cost grounds. This study describes the first published account on the application of this approach to people suffering from chronic pain conditions in a Southeast Asian country, Malaysia. A heterogeneous sample of chronic pain patients in Malaysia attended a 2-week cognitive-behavioural pain management programme (PMP) aimed at improving daily functional activities and general psychological well-being. Complete datasets from 70 patients out of 102 patients who attended 11 programmes conducted from 2002 to 2007, as well as the 1-month and 1-year follow-up sessions at the hospital clinic, are reported. The pre- to post-treatment results on self-report measures indicate that significant gains were achieved on the dimensions of pain, disability and psychological well-being. These gains were maintained at both 1-month and 1-year follow-ups. The results mirror those reported from similar interventions in Europe and North America and indicate the concept of self-management of a chronic illness is acceptable and meaningful to Asian patients. Importantly, the achieved outcomes were independent of gender and ethnic group status.

Interventional pain medicine: retreat from the biopsychosocial model of pain

The field of pain medicine has shifted from multidisciplinary rehabilitation to procedure-focused interventional pain medicine (IPM). Considerable controversy exists regarding the efficacy of IPM and its more narrow focus on nociception as an exclusive target of pain treatment. This topical review aims to examine pain research and treatment outcome studies that support a biopsychosocial model of pain, and to critique the clinical practice of IPM given its departure from the premises of a biopsychosocial model. A modern definition of pain and findings from clinical and basic science studies indicate that pain-related psychological factors are integral to pain perception. The clinical viability of IPM is challenged based upon its biomedical view of peripheral nociception as a primary source of pain and the potential of this viewpoint to foster maladaptive pain attributions and discourage the use of pain coping strategies among chronic pain patients. IPM should adopt a biopsychosocial perspective on pain and operate within a framework of multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation to improve its effectiveness.

Regulation of negative affect in schizophrenia: the effectiveness of acceptance versus reappraisal and suppression

Although general emotion coping difficulties are well documented in schizophrenia, there has been limited study of specific regulatory strategies such as suppression, reappraisal, and acceptance. In the present study, clinical and control participants were asked to watch video clips selected to elicit negative affect while engaging in one of these three different emotion regulation strategies (counterbalanced), versus a passive viewing condition. The experiential and expressive components of emotion were quantified using self-report and facial electromyography, respectively. A major finding was that, in contrast to control participants, individuals with schizophrenia did not report a greater willingness to reexperience negative emotion after engaging in acceptance. These data are discussed in the context of evidence highlighting the potentially important role of acceptance in understanding affective abnormalities in clinical conditions such as schizophrenia.

The path to capacity: resilience and spinal chronic pain

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the relationship between resilience, acceptance, coping, and adjustment to spinal chronic pain.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Several studies have concluded that resilience is relevant in predicting pain and physical functioning among patients with chronic pain. Although resilience may have a role in preventing or living with chronic pain, there is little research on the effects of resilience on adjustment among patients with chronic pain.

METHODS

Multivariate multiple regression by structural equation modeling was performed to simultaneously determine the influence of all the predictor variables on all the dependent variables. The sample was composed of 299 patients (138 men and 161 women) suffering from chronic spinal pain. : Higher levels of resilience were associated with higher levels of pain acceptance and active coping strategies. Active coping and acceptance were associated with higher levels of adjustment to pain.

CONCLUSION

Positive personality characteristics could play a crucial role in patient adjustment, and thus clinicians should take into account the positive path to capacity to better understand the chronic pain experience.

'I can't see any reason for stopping doing anything, but I might have to do it differently'--restoring hope to patients with persistent non-specific low back pain--a qualitative study

PURPOSE

To explore the differences in narrative between patients with persistent non-specific low back pain (PLBP) who benefited from a pain management programme, and those who did not benefit.

METHOD

We conducted interviews with 20 patients attending a pain management programme; prior to attending the programme, immediately following the programme and at one year. Our analysis focused on a theoretical sample of patients who either described dramatic life improvements at one year, and who described themselves as much worse. We used the methods of grounded theory.

RESULTS

We found that finding hope was central to good outcome. Patients restored hope by making certain changes; (a) deconstructing specific fears, (b) constructing an acceptable explanatory model (c) reconstructing self identity by making acceptable changes. Those who had not restored hope retained fears of loss of self, remained committed to the biomedical model and were unable to make acceptable changes.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings may help to operationalise the restoration of hope in patients with PLBP. Firstly, health care professionals need to identify and resolve any specific fears of movement. Secondly, patients need an acceptable explanatory model that fits their experience and personal narrative. Finally our study confirms the centrality of self concept to recovery.