A six-participant pilot single-subject study of an individualized pain management program for people with spinal cord injury

This study explores a new pain management program for people with spinal cord injuries. The program is designed to meet each person's specific needs and includes various therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy and physical exercise. Six participants completed a program consisting of an intensive ten-week intervention followed by a six-month consolidation phase. Researchers tracked their progress using measures of occupational performance, pain self-efficacy, pain intensity, anxiety, and depression. The study found that most participants experienced improvements in their ability to perform daily tasks, manage pain, and reduce anxiety. These results suggest that personalized pain management programs can be helpful for individuals with spinal cord injuries.

• 1
  For five out of the six participants, a majority of outcomes improved during either of the intervention phases or both.
• 2
  Improvements in occupational performance were clinically significant for three participants.
• 3
  Pain interference and anxiety improved significantly in five participants, while pain self-efficacy and depressive symptoms improved in four participants.