Structured Treatment of Pain (STOP) Study

Self-Management #1 will consist of eight 60-minute sessions conducted by phone over eight weeks. Sessions will include: (1) education about the role of cognitions and pain beliefs (including control) in chronic pain and adjustment; (2) instruction in how to identify negative thinking and cognitive distortions about pain; (3) instruction in thought-stopping and cognitive-restructuring techniques, including challenging negative thoughts and core beliefs about pain; (4) instruction in utilization of positive coping self-statements; (5) relaxation techniques; (6) activity pacing and scheduling; (7) coping with pain flare-ups; and (8) relapse prevention/maintenance of gains. Most sessions will include a brief relaxation exercise introduced over the phone.

Self-Management #2 will consist of eight 60-minute sessions conducted by phone over eight weeks (1 session/week on average). The sessions will cover a variety of topics, including: (1) the definition of chronic pain, (2) the physiological processes underlying chronic pain, (3) common pain-related conditions such as sleep and mood disturbance (including posttraumatic stress disorder, due to its prevalence among Veterans), (4) the potential effects of chronic pain on activity level, (5) communication (including communication with healthcare providers), and (6) the role of social support in managing pain.