Clinical Question

Does remote delivery of psychological therapies reduce pain and disability and improve quality of life in adults with chronic pain?

Evidence-Based Answer

Remotely delivered cognitive behavior therapy reduces pain intensity and improves functional ability compared with treatment as usual.¹ (Strength of Recommendation: B, moderate-quality evidence from randomized controlled trials.) However, the benefit does not persist at follow-up, and more research is needed to assess other forms of therapy, such as acceptance and commitment therapy, and the effectiveness of psychotherapy as an adjunct treatment.

Practice Pointers

Chronic pain affects the daily life and work of more than 20% of the U.S. population.² People with chronic pain are at greater risk of depression, dementia, substance abuse, and suicide.³ A previous Cochrane review demonstrated that face-to-face psychotherapy results in sustained improvement in chronic pain.⁴ Addressing chronic pain may also require a multidisciplinary approach that includes psychotherapy.⁵