Pain Disorder and Injured Workers: Efficacy of 20Session Biofeedback Treatment

• Published in: Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback 2014-12, Vol.39 (3-4), p.315
• Main Authors: Carlson, Julie M, Shultz, Emily L, Oleski, Merritt S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Biofeedback training; Care and treatment; Chronic pain; Injuries; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Pain; Somatoform disorders; Work-related injuries; Workers
• ISSN: 1090-0586

Although previous research has demonstrated that biofeedback relaxation enables individuals with chronic pain to decrease muscular tension and subjective level of pain, as well as facilitate vasodilation, the scope of such research has been limited (Corrado, Gottlieb, & Abdelhamid, 2003). A comprehensive literature review conducted by Morone and Grego (2007) indicated that research in the area has been restricted by methodological problems, including small sample size. Furthermore, it is often unclear if the participants suffered from chronic pain only associated with a medical condition, or were diagnosed with the psychological aspects associated with pain disorder. The current study aims to examine the efficacy of biofeedback relaxation training in injured workers (N = 38) within the context of a 20-session interdisciplinary chronic pain management program specifically designed to treat pain disorder associated with both psychological factors and a general medical condition (307.89). Repeated measures ANOVAs will be conducted to determine: 1) if psychophysiological measurements (frontalis muscle tension, peripheral skin temperature, and subjective level of stress) change significantly within each session, 2) how many training sessions are needed before there ceases to be significant between-session improvements (indicative of the number of sessions necessary to achieve optimal benefits from relaxation training) 3) which technique (progressive muscle, autogenic, imagery, or a combination) is the most effective in this specific population, and 4) pre-post treatment differences in pain beliefs (catastrophizing, fear of reinjury, expectation for cure, blaming self, entitlement, future despair, social disbelief, lack of medical comprehensiveness) utilizing the Behavioral Assessment of Pain-2 (BAP-2). Additionally, correlational analyses will be employed to determine the relationship between scores on the MMPI-2 and the maximum improvement in psychophysiological responses. By determining the number of sessions needed for an optimal relaxation response that is consistent, the most effective technique, potential predictors at the time of evaluation, and the effect of interdisciplinary intervention on pain beliefs, this study could provide insight into designing the most efficacious interventions for injured workers with pain disorder. Keywords * Injured workers * Pain management * Relaxation * Pain beliefs * Behavioral assessment of pain-2