Research Article
Age moderates response to acceptance and commitment therapy vs. cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic pain
Julie Loebach Wetherell,
Andrew J. Petkus,
Miriam Alonso-Fernandez,
Emily S. Bower,
Amanda R. W. Steiner,
Niloofar Afari,
Corresponding Author
Julie Loebach Wetherell
VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
Correspondence to: J. Wetherell, PhD, E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorAndrew J. Petkus
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Search for more papers by this authorMiriam Alonso-Fernandez
Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorEmily S. Bower
SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA
Search for more papers by this authorAmanda R. W. Steiner
VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
Search for more papers by this authorNiloofar Afari
VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
Search for more papers by this authorJulie Loebach Wetherell,
Andrew J. Petkus,
Miriam Alonso-Fernandez,
Emily S. Bower,
Amanda R. W. Steiner,
Niloofar Afari,
Corresponding Author
Julie Loebach Wetherell
VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
Correspondence to: J. Wetherell, PhD, E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorAndrew J. Petkus
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Search for more papers by this authorMiriam Alonso-Fernandez
Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorEmily S. Bower
SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA
Search for more papers by this authorAmanda R. W. Steiner
VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
Search for more papers by this authorNiloofar Afari
VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Objective
The purpose of this study was to examine age differences in response to different forms of psychotherapy for chronic pain.
Methods
We performed a secondary analysis of 114 adults (ages 18–89 years) with a variety of chronic, nonmalignant pain conditions randomly assigned to 8 weeks of group-administered acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Treatment response was defined as a drop of at least three points on the Brief Pain Inventory-interference subscale.
Results
Older adults were more likely to respond to ACT, and younger adults to CBT, both immediately following treatment and at 6-month follow-up. There were no significant differences in credibility, expectations of positive outcome, attrition, or satisfaction, although there was a trend for the youngest adults (ages 18–45 years) to complete fewer sessions.
Conclusions
These data suggest that ACT may be an effective and acceptable treatment for chronic pain in older adults. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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