A new perspective on family involvement in chronic pain management programmes

The aim of this study was to investigate how those with pain, and their significant others, perceive the involvement of significant others in a multidisciplinary chronic pain management programme.

Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with eight people who had attended a Family Day as part of a three-week multidisciplinary chronic pain management programme in Auckland, New Zealand. Four of the participants had pain and four were significant others. Follow-up interviews were conducted with seven of the participants up to one year after their initial interview. Conventional content analysis was used to analyse collected data.

Participants viewed the involvement of significant others to be important because managing pain necessitates 'being on the same page' and significant others also needed an opportunity to access support and information.

The involvement of significant others in programmes is perceived to be important but must be a balance between what is feasible for significant others and beneficial for all. Further research into when and how significant others are included within programmes is urgently required.