Psychodynamic Interventions for Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review
Torelli Alessandro1, Mesce Martina1, Cavicchioli Marco1
1Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University ofRome, Italy.
Objective:
fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and psychological distress, with a significant impact on quality of life. While cognitive-behavioral therapy has been extensively studied as a psychological intervention for FM, the effectiveness of psychodynamic interventions remains underexplored. This systematic review aims to synthesize the existing literature on psychodynamic interventions for FM, focusing on their impact on clinical and psychological outcomes.
Method:
a systematic search was conducted across PsycINFO, Cochrane, PubMed, and Web of Science databases. A total of six studies meeting the inclusion criteria were identified, investigating different psychodynamic approaches, including Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy, Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy, and shortterm psychodynamic psychotherapy.
Results:
across these studies, psychodynamic interventions showed potential - but still preliminary - benefits, including reductions in pain severity, anxiety, depression, and psychological distress, alongside improvements in emotional functioning and quality of life. However, substantial heterogeneity across interventions, study designs, and outcome measures, combined with moderate-to-high risk of bias and the small number of available studies, limits the strength of the conclusions.
Conclusions:
the current evidence does not allow definitive recommendations regarding psychodynamic interventions for FM. Further methodologically rigorous research is needed to clarify the specific efficacy, generalizability, and underlying mechanisms of these interventions.
