Preventing chronic back pain: evaluation of a theory-based cognitive-behavioural training programme for patients with subacute back pain.
OBJECTIVE
For long-term treatment effects, patients with subacute back pain need to adhere to treatment recommendations beyond the prescribed exercise treatment. Adherence rates are as low as 30%, so we developed a cognitive-behavioural training programme to enhance patients' self-efficacy, maximise severity perceptions and reduce barrier perceptions.


METHODS
A 2 x 4 (group x time) repeated measurement design was applied. Forty-seven patients with non-specific, subacute back pain were randomly assigned to a training group (exercise treatment plus cognitive-behavioural training programme) or a control group (exercise treatment only).


RESULTS
Repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant main and interaction effects; the training group reported enhanced self-efficacy and severity perceptions, reduced barrier perceptions, and self-reported that they exercised more often than the control group over time. However, no group differences regarding pain intensity emerged.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings demonstrate that a short and inexpensive cognitive-behavioural training programme is an effective tool to enable back pain patients to follow treatment recommendations on a regular basis.


CONCLUSIONS
The short and simple intervention can easily be conducted by personnel, other than psychologists, i.e., physiotherapists.
Göhner
Wiebke
W
University of Freiburg, Department of Sport and Sport Sciences, Schwarzwaldstr. 175, 79117 Freiburg, Germany. wiebke.goehner@sport.uni-freiburg.de
Schlicht
Wolfgang
W
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001416:Back Pain / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003071:Cognition; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000193:education; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D020377:Self Efficacy