A CBT inpatient chronic pain management model: factors impacting treatment outcomes

Biopsychosocial factors are increasingly recognised as important factors in the treatment of chronic pain. This pilot study seeks to identify those psychosocial factors that impact successful treatment outcomes of chronic pain in patients attending a 2 week intensive pain management program. Treatment targeted beliefs, psychological distress (trauma, anxiety and depression), and disability associated with chronic pain. The DASS-21 and Chronic Pain Acceptance questionnaires administered prior to, at completion of, and at 12 weeks post treatment revealed a significant decrease in depression and a significant increase in pain acceptance respectively and maintained over the 12 weeks. The Pain Beliefs Questionnaire results showed significant change in pain beliefs post treatment, however, this was not maintained at 12 weeks post treatment. Outcomes related to biopsychosocial factors, with age positively correlating with gains in acceptance, and number of interventions attempted correlating with poorer reductions in depression. Changes in pain beliefs and maintenance of those changes had a relationship with the distress from previous interventions and surgery. However, of interest in this study were client factors influencing treatment outcomes for example hope, prior beliefs, and acceptance. Both qualitative and quantitative future studies would broaden our understanding of common factors impacting the management of chronic pain.