title: Effects of stress management on pain behavior in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effects of stress management training on pain behavior exhibited by persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the relationship of change in pain behavior with certain patient characteristics as well as change in self-reported levels of pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with RA (n = 131) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: a stress management group, an attention control group, or a standard care control group. The stress management and attention control groups received a 10-week intervention followed by a 15-month maintenance phase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 3 groups did not differ significantly in the change in pain behavior at any of the assessment periods. However, persons with RA who had less disease activity tended to exhibit positive changes in pain behavior over time. Changes in self-reported pain were not significantly related to changes in pain behavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that stress management interventions do not reduce total pain behaviors exhibited by persons with RA. Changes in pain behaviors appear to be related to disease activity, age, and disease duration, but not to changes in self-reported measures of pain.
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri-Columbia, 65211, USA.
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Multon
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Smarr
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Stucky
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petroski
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hewett
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome