title: Psychological approaches to understanding and treating arthritis pain.
abstract: Arthritis pain has traditionally been evaluated from a biomedical perspective, but there is increasing evidence that psychological factors have an important role in patients' adjustment to arthritis pain. The evolution of pain theories has led to the development of models, such as the cognitive-behavioral model, which recognize the potential involvement of psychological factors in pain. Emotional, cognitive, behavioral and social context variables are useful in understanding pain in patients with arthritis, and have led to the development of psychological approaches for treating arthritis pain. These include pain coping skills training, interventions that include patients' partners, and emotional disclosure strategies.
authors.affiliation: Pain Prevention and Treatment Research Program, Duke University Medical Center, Box 90399, Durham, NC 27708, USA. keefe003@mc.duke.edu
authors.forename: Francis J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Keefe
authors.forename: Tamara J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Somers
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000523:psychology; D011379:Prognosis; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D016896:Treatment Outcome