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. 2013 Apr 1;8(2):10.2217/IJR.13.3.
doi: 10.2217/IJR.13.3.

Understanding why cognitive-behavioral therapy is an effective treatment for adolescents with juvenile fibromyalgia

Soumitri Sil  1 , Susmita Kashikar-Zuck  2
Affiliations

Understanding why cognitive-behavioral therapy is an effective treatment for adolescents with juvenile fibromyalgia

Soumitri Sil et al. Int J Clin Rheumtol. .

Abstract

Recent studies have demonstrated that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for children and adolescents with juvenile fibromyalgia. Unfortunately, the specific psychological changes that occur during treatment that explain why CBT works are not well understood. Historically, the increased use of specific coping strategies learned during CBT was thought to be the primary reason for why CBT was effective. However, evidence to support the notion that increases in adaptive coping directly lead to patient improvement is minimal. Instead, a growing number of studies in adults suggest that CBT results in more global changes of psychological perceptions of the pain itself (cognitive appraisals) and one's ability to manage the pain. This report discusses the role of coping and aspects of cognitive appraisal as potential psychological changes that explain CBT-related improvements for youths with juvenile fibromyalgia.

Keywords: adaptive coping; catastrophic thinking; chronic pain; cognitive appraisal; cognitive–behavioral therapy; coping self-efficacy; juvenile fibromyalgia.

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Conflict of interest statement

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Model of chronic pain, coping and appraisal
Data taken from [23,24].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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