Chronic Pain Patients: Patterns of Change in Interpersonal Problems, Pain Intensity, and Depression-Anxiety

Abstract

Patients with pain disorder were treated using psychotherapy, with a specific focus on affect experience and interpersonal problems. Using hierarchical linear modeling, growth curve analyses were performed to examine the patterns of change in interpersonal problems, pain intensity, and depression-anxiety according to specific and general change models. A 3-piece linear model was used to analyze the individual rates of change during the 1st and 2nd halves of the treatment period and during follow-up. The mean rates of change were congruent with the specific change model in that interpersonal problems decreased significantly during all 3 phases, whereas pain intensity and depression-anxiety changed significantly during the 2nd phase only. Correlational analyses of individual rates of change indicated that improvement in depression-anxiety was a strong predictor of subsequent improvement in interpersonal problems and a lesser degree of pain, supporting the general change model.