Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain

CBT-CP is delivered by psychologists, mental health providers, or other healthcare providers under the supervision of a psychologist.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – Evidence Rating: Low to Moderate Quality

Evidence describing cognitive behavioral therapy for pain comes from multiple systematic reviews citing low to moderate quality evidence. These reviews draw from randomized control trials that sampled from populations with conditions including low back pain, fibromyalgia, and neck pain. Trials included in these systematic reviews generally had small sample sizes and did not report long-term outcomes, which limited the quality of their findings. Studies examining real-world application of CBT-CP have more consistently identified patient-level barriers to its uptake, but future research is needed to understand for whom CBT-CP is most efficacious, as well as provider- and system-level barriers to its use.

Evidence-based Scale

CBT-CP is delivered by psychologists, mental health providers (including masters-level trained therapists), or other healthcare providers under the supervision of a psychologist. CBT sessions can be conducted either in person or virtually. Some CBT approaches may also be self-directed and interactive, with individuals providing reflections to a provider and receiving intermittent feedback on progress.