Processes of change in psychological flexibility in an interdisciplinary group-based treatment for chronic pain based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Section snippets
Participants
Participants were patients who attended treatment at a tertiary care pain rehabilitation unit in southwest England between September 2006 and June 2009. All participants reported persistent pain of 3 months duration or longer and significant levels of pain-related distress and disability, and agreed with the rehabilitative focus nature of treatment. Participants were excluded from treatment if they required further medical tests or procedures or had conditions sufficient to interfere with
Preliminary analysis
From the larger database including the current sample there were no demographic differences between those who attended the follow-up and those who did not attend, except that follow-up completers had slightly more years of education, t (280) = 1.78, p = .08. With regard to the primary process and outcome measures, follow-up attenders and non-attenders were not different on any of the process measure or on pain-related anxiety, medical visits, or pain, as measured at pre-treatment, all t < 1.4, all p >
Discussion
This study assessed the outcomes and processes of change in an ACT-based, interdisciplinary, group treatment for chronic pain. Immediately following treatment and at 3-month follow-up, participants reported significantly lower levels of depression, pain-related anxiety, physical and psychosocial disability, medical visits and pain intensity in comparison to the start of treatment. Almost all effect sizes relative to treatment onset remained at a medium or large level at the 3-month follow-up,
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