What Impact Do Psychological Interventions Have on Managing Pain in Older Adults?

​Psychological interventions that use cognitive behavior therapy modalities yield small benefits in reducing pain and catastrophic thinking among older adults with chronic pain, according to a May 7, 2018, article in JAMA Internal Medicine. The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 studies featuring 2,608 participants with an average age of 72 years. Participants who underwent some type of psychological intervention as part of treatment for chronic pain experienced small but statistically significant improvements in pain, reductions in catastrophizing beliefs, and improvements in self-efficacy for pain management.