Preparing for pain management: A pilot study to enhance engagement

A significant proportion of individuals fail to engage in cognitive-behavioral treatments for pain. The aim of this pilot study was to develop and evaluate a Preparation for Pain Management Intervention administered before community-based therapy (CBT) pain management workshops. Participants (N = 78) were randomly assigned to a treatment group receiving a 2-session intervention including assessment and feedback based on the Preparation for Pain Management Profile (PPMP) or to a control group receiving assessment (treatment as usual) and an attention placebo interview in place of the feedback session. The interviews were conducted with both groups before patients were offered participation in pain management workshops. Results demonstrate that participants in the treatment group were significantly more likely to attend workshops than were participants in the control group (P < .01). PERSPECTIVE: This paper describes a randomized controlled trial assessing a brief motivational intervention aimed at increasing engagement in community-based pain management workshops.