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Cognitive–behavioral mechanisms in a pain‐avoidance and a pain‐persistence treatment for high‐risk fibromyalgia patients
Author(s) -
van Koulil S.,
Kraaimaat F. W.,
van Lankveld W.,
van Helmond T.,
Vedder A.,
van Hoorn H.,
Donders A. R. T.,
Thieme K.,
Cats H.,
van Riel P. L. C. M.,
Evers A. W. M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
arthritis care and research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.032
H-Index - 163
eISSN - 2151-4658
pISSN - 2151-464X
DOI - 10.1002/acr.20445
Subject(s) - persistence (discontinuity) , fibromyalgia , cognition , cognitive behavioral therapy , pain catastrophizing , chronic pain , medicine , physical therapy , distress , psychology , clinical psychology , physical medicine and rehabilitation , psychiatry , geotechnical engineering , engineering
Objective The heterogeneity of cognitive–behavioral patterns in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) has been proposed to underlie the variability in treatment outcomes. It has previously been shown that pain‐avoidance and pain‐persistence treatments tailored to the patient's pattern are effective in improving physical and psychological functioning and overall impact in high‐risk patients with heigthened psychological distress. In the present study, the cognitive–behavioral effects of these treatments were evaluated to provide insight into the main proposed mechanisms, specifically pain‐avoidance behaviors and activity pacing in the pain‐avoidance and pain‐persistence treatments, respectively. Methods High‐risk FM patients were classified into 2 groups, pain avoidance and pain persistence, and randomized in groups to the relevant treatment or waiting‐list control condition. The pain‐avoidance and pain‐persistence treatments both comprised 16 twice‐weekly sessions of cognitive–behavioral therapy and exercise training. Cognitive–behavioral factors assessed at pre‐ and posttreatment and 6 months of followup were evaluated using linear mixed models. Results A significant treatment effect was found for pain‐avoidance behavior in the pain‐avoidance treatment and for activity pacing in the pain‐persistence treatment, showing improvements in the treatment condition relative to the controls. Furthermore, the effect on functioning was mediated by changes in pain‐avoidance behavior in the pain‐avoidance treatment and by changes in activity pacing in the pain‐persistence treatment. Both treatments also showed significant improvements in other relevant cognitive–behavioral factors. Conclusion Both the pain‐avoidance and pain‐persistence treatments are effective in improving cognitive–behavioral factors in high‐risk FM patients. Pain‐avoidance behavior and activity pacing might be important mediating mechanisms for beneficial outcomes in pain‐avoidance and pain‐persistence treatments, respectively.