:: Volume 20, Issue 6 (Bimonthly 2017) ::
Feyz 2017, 20(6): 539-550 Back to browse issues page
Efficacy of dialectical behavior therapy techniques in reducing problems of patients with preoccupied attachment style having chronic musculoskeletal pain: a single case study
Maryam Amini-Fasakhoudi , Majid Mahmoud Alilou , Karineh Tahmassian , Abbas Bakhshipour-Roudsari
Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, I. R. Iran. , amini.maryam329@gmail.com
Abstract:   (4312 Views)

Background: Pain is a degenerative and disabling condition which is accompanied by several psychological variables. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy techniques in reducing the catastrophizing, fear of movement, pain-induced disability, and pain intensity in patients with preoccupied attachment style suffering musculoskeletal chronic pain.

Materials and Methods: The Study was conducted as a single subject research based on multiple-baseline design. The participants were two women patients suffering chronic back pain that were selected through purposive method from among clients of Pain Clinic of Tabriz, based on pain specialist diagnosis, clinical interview and screening tools.  Pain Catastrophizing Questionnaire, Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, Pain Disability Questionnaire, Visual Analogue Scale, and also relationships scales Questionnaire were filled by subjects in 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 14th baseline sessions and the follow up session. In order to study the treatment results drawing symptom severity diagram and mean base line reduction related to single subject studies.

Results: Results indicate that average score of catastrophizing, fear of movement, pain disability, and pain intensity were decreased in both patients from baseline to follow up  (33.25 to 16.5), (45.75 to 21), (17.5 to 7), and (213.75 to 90), respectively. In addition, during the treatment the average score of attachment security in both patients was increased from 1.25 to 2.3.

Conclusion: Dialectical behavior therapy was effective in increasing secure attachment and decreasing pain-related problems in patients with musculoskeletal pain. Thence, it is recommended that the study be done with larger samples in future.
Keywords: Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Chronic musculoskeletal pain, Preoccupied attachment style, Catastrophizing, Fear of movement, Pain disability, Pain intensity
Full-Text [PDF 326 kb]   (2851 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Research | Subject: medicine, paraclinic
Received: 2017/01/28 | Revised: 2017/07/24 | Accepted: 2017/01/28 | Published: 2017/01/28
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