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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2023 Jul 1.
Published in final edited form as: Pain. 2021 Nov 29;163(7):1215–1219. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002546

Table 1.

Examples of Behavioral Pain Interventions

Intervention Goal Core Techniques
Behavior therapy Increase the frequency of engaging in adaptive daily activities (“well behaviors”) and decrease the frequency of maladaptive daily activities (“pain behaviors”). 1. Teaching individuals how to use reinforcement principles to achieve their goals.
2. Behavioral activation via pleasant activity scheduling and/or exercise.
3. Using the social environment to support improvements (e.g., via training partners/caregivers or changing work environment).
Cognitive-behavioral therapy Teach individuals: (1) to understand how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors affect their adjustment to pain and (2) to develop skills for better managing pain-related thoughts, feelings and behaviors. 1. Self-monitoring of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
2. Behavioral activation.
3. Learn how to challenge and restructure overly negative/maladaptive pain-related thoughts.
4. Training in problem solving.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction Enhance awareness of the present moment so as to foster understanding and reactivity to pain and pain-related stressors. 1. Sitting meditation.
2. Body scan meditation.
3. Walking meditation.
4. Mindfulness during daily activities.
Acceptance and commitment therapy To allow oneself: (1) to experience pain and unpleasant feelings and lessen reactivity to those feelings and (2) to commit to engaging in valued activities, despite experiencing pain and unpleasant feelings. 1. Practicing acceptance of unwanted experiences.
2. Cognitive defusion—learning to separate oneself from one’s thoughts and emotions.
3. Mindfulness of the present moment.
4. Self-observation of thoughts and related emotions and behaviors.
5. Identifying ones values.
6.. Values-based goal setting.
Hypnotic cognitive therapy Learn self-hypnosis for nurturing and enhancing adaptive thoughts. 1. Self-monitoring of thoughts.
2. Learning to evaluate thoughts as adaptive or maladaptive.
3. Learning self-hypnosis skills to facilitate the incorporation of adaptive thoughts as “automatic” thoughts.