Cognitive and cognitive-behavioral methods for pain control: A selective review

The literature on cognitive and cognitive-behavioral methods for pain control is selectively reviewed, with particular focus on controlled studies. Such methods include the provision of preparatory information, cognitive coping skills or strategies, the provision of preparatory information plus some form of coping skills instructions or training, prepared childbirth techniques, multifaceted cognitive-behavioral treatment regimens, and stress-inoculation training. Overall, the scientific evidence for the efficacy of cognitive and cognitive-behavioral methods for clinical pain attenuation is somewhat meager, although some encouraging but still tentative results have been obtained. There has been much work on the psychological elements involved in such strategies in the laboratory but there is still little sound information on their use for clinical pain. Several issues emerging from the literature review are discussed, with the need for further controlled evaluations being obvious.