Psychological therapies (Internet-delivered) for the management of chronic pain in adults

Whether Internet-delivered psychological therapies improve pain symptoms, reduce disability, and improve depression and anxiety for adults with chronic pain is evaluated and there was no clear evidence that psychological therapies improved depression or anxiety post-treatment.

Abstract

There is insufficient evidence to make conclusions regarding the efficacy of psychological therapies delivered via the Internet in participants with headache conditions. Psychological therapies reduced pain and disability post-treatment; however, no clear evidence of benefit was found for depression and anxiety. For participants with non-headache conditions, psychological therapies delivered via the Internet reduced pain, disability, depression, and anxiety post-treatment. The positive effects on disability were maintained at follow-up. These effects are promising, but considerable uncertainty remains around the estimates of effect. These results come from a small number of trials, with mostly wait-list controls, no reports of adverse events, and non-clinical recruitment methods. Due to the novel method of delivery, the satisfaction and acceptability of these therapies should be explored in this population. These results are similar to those of reviews of traditional face-to-face therapies for chronic pain.