Loading...
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which involves coping skills training, cognitive restructuring, and behavioral activation, sometimes is recommended for managing chronic pain. To explore the value of CBT in older adults (age, ≥60), researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 22 randomized, controlled trials in which the effects of CBT were evaluated in 2608 patients (mean age, 72) with various types of chronic noncancer pain (e.g., back pain or arthritic pain; pain duration, ≥3 months). Mean duration of intervention was ≈9 weeks; mean number of treatment sessions was about eight.
Pain intensity declined significantly more in intervention patients than in control patients, but the effect size was small. Self-efficacy for managing pain also im…