The evaluation of a cognitive behavioural treatment programme in outpatients with chronic pain

This study is an attempt to investigate the efficacy of an outpatient cognitive behavioural group programme for the rehabilitation of patients with chronic pain. The programme, which took place over one afternoon per week for seven weeks and was conducted by a multidisciplinary team, aimed to increase patients' skills for coping with chronic pain and its social, emotional and physical consequences. Measures of pain intensity, mood, coping skills, physical disability and medication consumption were obtained on four separate occasions: twice pre-treatment, immediately post-treatment and at one month follow-up. Repeated measures analysis of variance showed significant improvements in mood, coping skills, physical disability and analgesic consumption despite less clear-cut improvement in ratings of pain intensity. These results parallel the findings of similar studies in the U.S.A. and their implications for the provision of services to chronic pain patients in the U.K. is discussed.