Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Behavioral Treatments for Pain Experienced by Older Adults

  • Chapter
Handbook of Pain and Aging

Part of the book series: The Springer Series in Adult Development and Aging ((SSAD))

Abstract

In the first part of this chapter, we delineate the characteristics of a behavioral approach to the treatment of pain and then describe four different theoretical perspectives on pain which have been derived from a behavioral model. These perspectives are respondent conditioning, operant conditioning, social learning theory, and cognitive behavior therapy. Examples of treatment methods derived from each perspective are presented, along with available research evidence pertinent to that method or perspective. In the second part of the chapter, we present the research evidence comparing different behavioral treatment modalities with the pain problems of older adult patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Achterberg, J., Kenner, C., & Lewis, G. (1988). Severe burn injury: A comparison of relaxation, imagery, and biofeedback for pain management. Journal of Mental Imagery, 12, 71–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Appelbaum, K. A., Blanchard, E. B., Hickling, E. J., & Alfonso, M. (1988). Cognitive behavioral treatment of a veteran population with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. Behavior Therapy, 19, 489–502.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arena, J. G., Blanchard, E. B., Andrasik, F., & Myers, P. E. (1983). Psychophysiological responding as a function of age: The importance of matching. Journal of Behavioral Assessment, 5, 131–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arena, J. G., Hannah, S. L., Bruno, G. M, & Meador, K. J. (1991). Electromyographic biofeedback training for tension headache in the elderly: A prospective study. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 16(4), 379–390.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Arena, J. G., Hightower, N. E., & Chong, G. C. (1988). Relaxation therapy for tension headache in the elderly: A prospective study. Psychology and Aging, 3(1), 96–98.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Berntzen, D., & Gotestam, G. (1987). Effects of on-demand versus fixed-interval schedules in the treatment of chronic pain with analgesic compounds. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55, 213–217.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchard, E., Andrasik, E., Evans, D., & Hillhouse, J. (1985). Biofeedback and relaxation treatments for headache in the elderly: A caution and a challenge. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 10, 69–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchard, E. B., Andrasik, E., Evans, D. D., Neff, D. E., Appelbaum, K. A., & Rodichok, L. D. (1985). Behavioral treatment of 250 chronic headache patients: A clinical replication series. Behavior Therapy, 16, 308–327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boczkowski, J. (1984). Biofeedback training for the treatment of chronic pain in an elderly arthritic female. Clinical Gerontology, 2, 39–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cautela, J. (1986). Covert conditioning and the control of pain. Behavior Modification, 10, 205–217.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, C. (1978). Pain: The perception of noxious events. In R. A. Sternbach (Ed.), The psychology of pain (pp. 169–202). New York: Raven Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Craighead, L., Craighead, W. E., Kazdin, A., & Mahoney, M. (1994). Cognitive and behavioral interventions. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cziir, R., & Gallagher, D. (1983). Case report: Behavioral treatment of depression and somatic complaints in rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical Gerontology, 2, 63–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Berry, S. (1981–1982). An evaluation of progressive muscle relaxation on stress related symptoms in a geriatric population. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 14, 255–269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, S., & Montrose, D. (1984). The value of biofeedback in the treatment of chronic headache: A four-year retrospective study. Headache, 24, 5–18.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dolce, J., & Dickerson, P. (1991). Pain management. In P. Wisocki (Ed.), Handbook of clinical behavior therapy with the elderly client (pp. 383–398). New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dolce, J., & Raczynski, J. (1985). Neuromuscular activity and electromyography in painful backs: Psychological and biomechanical models in assessment and treatment. Psychological Bulletin, 97, 502–520.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Doleys, D., Crocker, M., & Patton, D. (1982). Response of patients with chronic pain to exercise quotas. Physical Therapy, 62, 1111–1114.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Downs, A., Rosenthal, T., & Lichstein, K. (1988). Modeling therapies reduce avoidance of bath time by institutionalized elderly. Behavior Therapy, 19, 359–368.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Zurilla, T., & Goldfried, M. (1971). Problem solving and behavior modification. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 78, 107–126.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Engels, M. L., & Poser, E. (1987). Social skills training with older women. Clinical Gerontologist, 6, 70–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fordyce, W. (1973). An opérant conditioning method for managing chronic pain. Postgraduate Medicine, 53, 123–128.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fordyce, W. (1974) Treating chronic pain by contingency management. In J. Bonica (Ed.), Advances in neurology: Vol. 4. International symposium on pain (pp. 585–587). New York: Raven Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fordyce, W. (1976). Behavioral methods for chronic pain and illness. St. Louis: Mosby.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fordyce, W., Fowler, R., Lehmann, J., & Délateur, B. (1968). Some implications of learning in problems of chronic pain. Journal of Chronic Diseases, 21, 179–190.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fordyce, W., Fowler, R., Lehmann, J., Delateur, B., Sand, P., & Trieschmann, R. (1973). Operant conditioning in the treatment of chronic clinical pain. Archives of Physical Medicine Rehabilitation, 54, 399–408.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hamburger, L. (1982). Reduction of generalized aversive responding in a post-treatment cancer patient: Relaxation as an active coping skill. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 12, 241–247.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holroyd, K. A., & Penzien, D. B. (1984). Client variables and the behavioral treatment of recurrent tension headache: A meta-analytic review. Paper presented at the 1984 meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Philadelphia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kabela, E., Blanchard, E. B., Appelbaum, K. A., & Nicholson, N. (1989). Self-regulatory treatment of headache in the elderly. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 14(3), 219–228.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kazdin, A. (1975). Covert modeling, imagery assessment, and assertive behavior. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 43, 716–724.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Keefe, F., & Beckham, J. (1994). Behavioral medicine. In L. Craighead, W. E. Craighead, A. Kazdin, & M. Mahoney (Eds.), Cognitive and behavioral interventions (pp. 197–213). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keefe, F., Caldwell, D., Williams, D., Gil, K., Mitchell, D., Robertson, C., Martinez, S., Nunley, J., Beckman, J., Crisson, J., & Helms, M. (1990). Pain coping skills training in the management of osteoarthritic knee pain: A comparative study. Behavior Therapy, 21, 49–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keefe, F., Caldwell, D., Queen, K., Gil, K., Martinez, S., Crisson, J., Ogden, W., & Nunley, J. (1987). Osteoarthritic knee pain: A behavioral analysis. Pain, 28, 309–321.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Keefe, F, & Williams, D. A. (1990). A comparison of coping strategies in chronic pain patients of different age groups. Journal of Gerontology, 45(4), 161–165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, A. C., & Arena, J. G. (1984). Behavioral treatment of chronic cluster headache in a geriatric patient. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 9, 201–208.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Libb, J. W., & Clements, C. B. (1969). Token reinforcement in an exercise program for hospitalized geriatric patients. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 28, 957–958.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Linoff, M., & West, C. (1982). Relaxation training systematically combined with music: Treatment of tension headaches in a geriatric patient. International Journal of Behavioral Geriatrics, 1, 11–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lopez, M. (1980). Social skills training with institutionalized elderly: Effect of pre-counseling structuring and over-learning on skill acquisitions and transfer. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 27, 286–293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lorig, K., & Holman, H. (1989). Long term outcomes of an arthritis self-management study: Effects of reinforcement efforts. Social Science and Medicine, 29, 221–224.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lorig, K., Laurin, J., & Holman, H. (1984). Arthritis self-management: A study of the effectiveness of patient education for the elderly. The Gerontologist, 24, 455–457.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Matteson, M. (1989). Effects of a cognitive-behavioral approach and positive reinforcement on exercise for older adults. Educational Gerontology, 15, 497–513.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCaul, K., & Malott, J. (1984). Distraction and coping with pain. Psychological Bulletin, 95, 516–533.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Melzack, R., & Chapman, C. (1973). Psychological aspects of pain. Postgraduate Medicine, 53, 69–75.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Melzack, R., & Wall, P. (1965). Pain mechanisms. A new theory. Science, 150, 971–979.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Middaugh, S. J., Levin, R. B., Kee, W. G., Barchiesi, F D., & Roberts, J. M. (1988). Chronic pain: Its treatment in geriatric and younger patients. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 69, 1021–1026.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Middaugh, S. J., Woods, E., Kee, W. G., Harden, N., & Peters, J. R. (1991). Biofeedback-assisted relaxation training for the aging chronic pain patient. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 16(4), 361–377.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, C., & LeLieuvre, R. B. (1982). A method to reduce chronic pain in elderly nursing home residents. The Gerontologist, 22(3), 314–317.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mosley, T., Grothues, C., & Meeks, W. M. (1995). Treatment of tension headache in the elderly: A controlled evaluation of relaxation training and relaxation training combined with cognitive behavior therapy. Journal of Clinical Geropsychology, 1, 175–188.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicholson, N. L., & Blanchard, E. B. (1993). A controlled evaluation of behavioral treatment of chronic headache in the elderly. Behavior Therapy, 24, 395–408.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pearson, B. (1987). Pain control: An experiment with imagery. Geriatric Nursing, 8, 28–30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Perkins, K., Rapp, S., Carlson, C., & Wallace, C. (1986). A behavioral intervention to increase exercise among nursing home residents. The Gerontologist, 26, 479–481.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Puder, R. (1988). Age analysis of cognitive-behavioral group therapy for chronic pain outpatients. Psychology and Aging, 3, 204–207.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Radojevic, V., Nicassio, P. M., & Weisman, M. H. (1992). Behavioral intervention with and without family support for rheumatoid arthritis. Behavior Therapy, 23, 13–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rickard, H. C., Scogin, F, & Keith, S. (1994). A one-year follow-up of relaxation training for elders with subjective anxiety. The Gerontologist, 34(1), 121–122.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rybstein-Blinchik, E. (1979). Effects of different cognitive strategies in the chronic pain experience. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2, 93–102.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R., Follick, M., & Ahern, D. (1986). Cognitive distortion and disability in chronic low back pain. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 10, 201–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sturgis, E., Dolce, J., & Dickerson, P. (1987). Pain management in the elderly. In L. Carstensen & B. Edelstein (Eds.), Handbook of clinical gerontology (pp. 190–203). New York: Pergamon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tan, S. (1982). Cognitive and cognitive-behavioral methods for pain control: A selective review. Pain, 12, 201–228.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thorn, B., & Williams, G. (1989). Goal specification alters perceived pain intensity and tolerance latency. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 13, 171–183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turk, D., Meichenbaum, D., & Genest, M. (1983). Pain and behavioral medicine: A cognitive-behavioral perspective. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turk, D., & Rennert, K. (1981). Pain and the terminally ill cancer patient: A cognitive-social learning perspective. In H. Sobel (Ed.), Behavior therapy in terminal care: A humanistic approach (pp. 95–124). Cambridge, MA: Ballinger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, G., & Thorn, B. (1989). An empirical assessment of pain beliefs. Pain, 36, 351–358.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wisocki, P. (1991). Behavioral gerontology. In P. Wisocki (Ed.), Handbook of clinical behavior therapy for the elderly client (pp. 3–51). New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wisocki, P. (1993). The treatment of an elderly woman with orofacial tardive dyskinesia by relaxation and covert reinforcer sampling. In J. Cautela & A Kearney (Eds.), Covert conditioning casebook (pp. 108–116). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolf, S., Nacht, M., & Kelly, J. (1982). EMG feedback training during dynamic movement for low back pain patients. Behavior Therapy, 13, 395–406.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, 01003, USA

    Patricia A. Wisocki & Charles B. Powers

Authors
  1. Patricia A. Wisocki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Charles B. Powers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA

    David I. Mostofsky

  2. The Herczeg Institute on Aging, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel

    Jacob Lomranz

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1997 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Wisocki, P.A., Powers, C.B. (1997). Behavioral Treatments for Pain Experienced by Older Adults. In: Mostofsky, D.I., Lomranz, J. (eds) Handbook of Pain and Aging. The Springer Series in Adult Development and Aging. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0283-2_17

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0283-2_17

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-0285-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-0283-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation