title: Chronic pain in older adults: a controlled pilot trial of a brief cognitive-behavioural group treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic pain is a common condition among older adults. While cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) has been tested in numerous studies on adults and children there are fewer studies on older persons. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a six-session CBT group treatment for older persons with chronic pain. As a secondary aim we investigated whether treatment credibility was associated with outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 21 persons (mean age = 72.0 years) who were randomly allocated to either a waitlist condition or treatment consisting of applied relaxation, with the addition of problem solving, assertiveness, communication strategies, sleep management, and relapse prevention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Few statistically significant effects were found on measures of pain, mood, anxiety, and quality of life; however, a significant treatment effect with a between group effect size of d = 1.0 was observed with respect to perceived ability to function despite the discomfort of pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study provides some preliminary support for the use of group-based CBT with a focus on applied relaxation for older adults with chronic pain.
authors.affiliation: Linköping University, and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. gerhard.andersson@liu.se
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nordlander
authors.forename: Gordon J G
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Asmundson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001416:Back Pain / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief / Q000379:methods*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D055502:Secondary Prevention