Dealing with pain: An intervention on the internet for people suffering from chronic pain

BACKGROUND SUMMARY: The present study will test the effectivity of a newly developed positive psychology intervention for chronic pain patients and will compare it to an existing self-management program, and a waiting list control group. Iterventions are delivered over the internet. STUDY OBJECTIVE: Are a positive psychology and a self-management intervention, equally effective in increasing quality of life and decreasing psychological distress and pain disability, in chronic pain patients, in comparison to a waiting-list control group? HYPOTHESES: 1) Both interventions will be effective in ecreasing psychological distress and pain disability, and increasing quality of life. 2)The positive psychology intervention has a significantly larger effect on optimism, selfcompassion, and mood than the self-management intervention. STUDY DESIGN: 3 - Gelukkig ondanks PIJN: Een interventie op het internet voor chronische pijn pati Outcome variabels will be measured before, after, and 6-months after the intervention. Process variables will be measured weekly. INTERVENTION: Both interventions last 8 weeks and have a similar format, starting with a brief educational module on the theme of the week, and theme-specific exercises. The positive psychology program consists of the following THEMES: self-compassion (week 1 & 2), identifying three good things during a day (week 3), savoring (week 4 & 5), best possible self (week 6 & 7). The self-management program is a translation of a Swedish program which consists of elements of cognitive-behavioural therapy. The following themes will be DISCUSSED: Identifying situations in which the pain is higher than normal (week 1), relaxation exercises (week 1-4), exercise and strech exercises (week 2), planning daily activities (week 3 -7), working with negative thoughts (week 3), accepting thoughts (week 4), mindfulness (week 5), saying no (week 6), and problem solving (week 7). During week 8 of both interventions a maintenance plan will be made. Participants are encouraged to do their exercises daily. To keep track of progress and increase commitment participants will be emailed every week, and telephoned every two weeks. The control group will be a waiting list control group.