Feasibility and acceptability of a single-session, videoconference-delivered group intervention for pain in multiple sclerosis.
Kevin N. Alschuler, Jennifer Altman, Dawn M. Ehde
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: = 27 adults who were diagnosed with MS in the preceding 36 months and who had moderate or worse pain. The study team developed the intervention to introduce pain coping and commonly used cognitive, behavioral, and acceptance-based approaches for adaptive coping. Participants completed outcome assessments on pain intensity, interference, and coping at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 3-months posttreatment. RESULTS: Among participants in the treatment arm, the majority (54%) indicated satisfaction with treatment and all (100%) indicated continued use of strategies learned in the intervention. The 2 groups did not differ on any of the outcomes at any time point, and large standard deviations were found on most of the measures for both groups at all timepoints. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: This brief, highly accessible intervention targeting pain coping in individuals with early MS is feasible and acceptable. Further research is needed to better understand the effectiveness of the intervention both immediately and in positively impacting future coping in this population. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).