Association Between Psychological Interventions and Chronic Pain Outcomes in Older Adults:

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Bahar Niknejad, MD, Ruth Bolier, MD, PhD, Charles R. Henderson Jr, Diana Delgado, MLS, Elissa Kozlov, PhD, Corinna E. Löckenhoff, PhD, M. Carrington Reid, MD, PhD

Question  Do older adults with chronic pain benefit from psychological therapies?

Findings  In this systematic review and meta-analysis including 22 studies with 2608 participants, psychological interventions that used cognitive behavioral therapy modalities were associated with statistically significant benefits in terms of reduced pain and catastrophizing beliefs as well as improved self-efficacy for managing pain. Benefits were small and documented at the time of treatment completion; with the exception of pain reduction, evidence is lacking for the persistence of observed benefits in other assessments conducted up to 6 months later.

Meaning  Among older adults with chronic pain, psychological therapies have a small, but statistically significant, benefit for reducing pain and catastrophizing beliefs and improving self-efficacy for managing pain.

Full Article: Association Between Psychological Interventions and Chronic Pain Outcomes in Older Adults