Treatment of Pain: Results of a Behavioral Intervention

Abstract

Introduction

Chronic pain and its estimate in general population varies widely depending on the area and population studied. It is concluded that exerts effects on both physical and mental health, either in the patient or his family, in addition to its social cost to influence activities of daily living, employment and economic welfare of a significant proportion of the general population, constituting one of the main reasons for medical consultation.

Aim

Hypothesis: The painful perception is an operant behaviour. Subjects Six subjects (S): 5 females and 1 male, aged between 56 and 72 years Diagnosis ICD-10: R52.2 chronic pain of neuropathic origin. Material soundproof booth with audiometer Maico MA52.

Methods design

Experimental single case.

Independent variable: behaviour modification treatment by differential molding using auditory stimulation as discriminative stimulus. Dependent variable: pain perception scale of 0-100%. Analysiscomparisons using non-parametric test, significance at P < 0.05.

Results

Table 1.M (Media), SD (Standard deviation)

Conclusions

Six replications of behavioural experiment were performed. All show statistical significance. Generalization occurs in 83%. The hypothesis is confirmed and effectiveness of the treatment protocol was concluded; however the line of work should continue.

Table 1

	Start session		End session
	M	SD	M	SD
S1	65.42	26.74	6.41	19.91
S2	52.08	23.60	27.08	21.36
S3	90.53	10.49	63.91	26.16
S4	52.49	17.88	23.53	15.00
S5	71.01	14.44	15.38	9.93
S6	35.71	25.59	10.44	20,12
	Signs test (start/end)		U Mann-Whitney (base line/daily life)
	Z	P <	Z	P <
S1	−2.041	.0412	−3.537	.0004
S2	−2.598	.0094	−3.031	.0024
S3	−3.015	.0026	−0.014	.9885
S4	−3.175	.0015	−3.315	.0009
S5	−3.328	.0009	−2.951	.0032
S6	−2.214	.0269	–4.609	.0001

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.