Internal health locus of control as a predictor of pain reduction in multidisciplinary inpatient treatment for chronic pain: a retrospective study.

Purpose Chronic pain is a major health concern and its treatment requires physiological as well as psychological interventions. This study investigates the predictive value of health locus of control (HLOC) in pain intensity in chronic pain patients in an inpatient treatment setting. Patients and methods Data of 225 patients with a chronic pain condition were collected in a psychosomatic university clinic in Switzerland. Self-report assessment tools were used to measure pain intensity pre- and posttreatment and with a questionnaire dimensions of the HLOC were captured. Using hierarchic linear regression analysis, the predictive value of HLOC was investigated. Results A higher internal HLOC at pre-treatment was associated with a greater reduction in pain intensity from pre- to posttreatment (β = -0.151, p<0.05). For social-external and fatalistic-external HLOC no significant effects were observed. Conclusion Internal HLOC showed predictive value regarding the reduction in pain intensity in a multidisciplinary inpatient treatment for chronic pain, whereas social-external and fatalistic-external HLOC did not. Early interventions to strengthen internal beliefs of health control may be a promising component in multidisciplinary inpatient treatment for patients with chronic pain

Long-Term Effects of the Treatment of Depressive Female Inpatients in a Naturalistic Study: Is Early Improvement a Valid Predictor of Outcome?

Objectives. To examine the predictive value of early improvement for short- and long-term outcome in the treatment of depressive female inpatients and to explore the influence of comorbid disorders (CD). Methods. Archival data of a naturalistic sample of 277 female inpatients diagnosed with a depressive disorder was analyzed assessing the BDI at baseline, after 20 days and 30 days, posttreatment, and after 3 to 6 months at follow-up. Early improvement, defined as a decrease in the BDI score of at least 30% after 20 and after 30 days, and CD were analyzed using binary logistic regression. Results. Both early improvement definitions were predictive of remission at posttreatment. Early improvement after 30 days showed a sustained treatment effect in the follow-up phase, whereas early improvement after 20 days failed to show a persistent effect regarding remission at follow-up. CD were not significantly related neither at posttreatment nor at follow-up. At no time point CD moderated the prediction by early improvement. Conclusions. We show that early improvement is a valid predictor for short-term remission and at follow-up in an inpatient setting. CD did not predict outcome. Further studies are needed to identify patient subgroups amenable to more tailored treatments

Long-Term Effects of the Treatment of Depressive Female Inpatients in a Naturalistic Study: Is Early Improvement a Valid Predictor of Outcome?

Objectives. To examine the predictive value of early improvement for short-and long-term outcome in the treatment of depressive female inpatients and to explore the influence of comorbid disorders (CD). Methods. Archival data of a naturalistic sample of 277 female inpatients diagnosed with a depressive disorder was analyzed assessing the BDI at baseline, after 20 days and 30 days, posttreatment, and after 3 to 6 months at follow-up. Early improvement, defined as a decrease in the BDI score of at least 30% after 20 and after 30 days, and CD were analyzed using binary logistic regression. Results. Both early improvement definitions were predictive of remission at posttreatment. Early improvement after 30 days showed a sustained treatment effect in the follow-up phase, whereas early improvement after 20 days failed to show a persistent effect regarding remission at follow-up. CD were not significantly related neither at posttreatment nor at follow-up. At no time point CD moderated the prediction by early improvement. Conclusions. We show that early improvement is a valid predictor for short-term remission and at follow-up in an inpatient setting. CD did not predict outcome. Further studies are needed to identify patient subgroups amenable to more tailored treatments

Internal health locus of control as a predictor of pain reduction in multidisciplinary inpatient treatment for chronic pain: a retrospective study

Purpose: Chronic pain is a major health concern and its treatment requires physiological as well as psychological interventions. This study investigates the predictive value of health locus of control (HLOC) in pain intensity in chronic pain patients in an inpatient treatment setting. Patients and methods: Data of 225 patients with a chronic pain condition were collected in a psychosomatic university clinic in Switzerland. Self-report assessment tools were used to measure pain intensity pre- and posttreatment and with a questionnaire dimensions of the HLOC were captured. Using hierarchic linear regression analysis, the predictive value of HLOC was investigated. Results: A higher internal HLOC at pre-treatment was associated with a greater reduction in pain intensity from pre- to posttreatment (β = −0.151, p<0.05). For social-external and fatalistic-external HLOC no significant effects were observed. Conclusion: Internal HLOC showed predictive value regarding the reduction in pain intensity in a multidisciplinary inpatient treatment for chronic pain, whereas social-external and fatalistic-external HLOC did not. Early interventions to strengthen internal beliefs of health control may be a promising component in multidisciplinary inpatient treatment for patients with chronic pain