Chronic pain patients' beliefs about their pain and treatment outcomes

A novel assessment procedure measuring chronic pain patients' agreement with information presented on a clinic orientation videotape was evaluated as a predictor of short-term treatment outcome. One hundred randomly selected outpatients viewed a 15-minute videotape detailing conservative approaches to pain management and completed a questionnaire measuring factual recall of the videotape presentation and their acceptance or rejection (ie, agreement) of this information. Patient ratings of satisfaction with treatment were assessed one month after treatment. Multivariate analyses revealed that extent of agreement with the videotape content was significantly associated with lower pain ratings, increased ratings of physical ability, and higher treatment satisfaction. Prognostic use of this procedure for identifying patients at risk for nonadherence to treatment is discussed.