New research: Improving the ability to regulate emotions is critical for patients with pain and concurrent affective problems
Improving the ability to regulate emotions associated with both pain and depression appears to be important for improving treatment outcomes for patients suffering from both symptoms.
This is shown by a recently published article in the Clinical Journal of Pain. In the study, participants with both long-term pain and emotional problems were either randomized to a pain management course with a psychologist over the internet or a transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapy (hybrid treatment).
According to a previously published article in PAIN, those who received the hybrid treatment improved their ability to carry out activities and reduced their depression compared to those who received the pain management course nine months after treatment ended. This study confirms that participants in the hybrid treatment also experienced greater improvements in their ability to regulate emotions, both generally and specifically in relation to pain. These improvements in the regulation ability were in turn associated with reduced depression and increased functioning. Furthermore, the researchers found that the effect of pain-related emotion regulation was particularly important for a subgroup of patients with low initial ability to regulate emotions.
The findings, overall, emphasize the importance of focusing on emotion regulation in the case of concurrent pain and emotion problems, and thus strengthen the theory that underpins this type of treatment.
Read the full article here: