Cognitive-behavioural and social factors do not predict recurrent secondary healthcare use in patients with fibromyalgia: a longitudinal study.

Objectives: Healthcare use in fibromyalgia (FM) is relatively high. Besides disease-related variables, cognitive-behavioural factors have been concurrently associated with healthcare use. It is unknown whether cognitive-behavioural and social factors also predict future healthcare use.

Can health care providers recognise a fibromyalgia personality?

Objectives: To determine if experienced health care providers (HCPs) can recognise patients with fibromyalgia (FM) based on a limited set of personality items, exploring the existence of a FM personality.

Methods: From the 240-item NEO-PI-R personality questionnaire, 8 HCPs from two different countries each selected 20 items they considered most discriminative of FM personality. Then, evaluating the scores on these items of 129 female patients with FM and 127 female controls, each HCP rated the probability of FM for each individual on a 0-10 scale.

Cost of illness and illness perceptions in patients with fibromyalgia.

Objectives: The disease impact and economic burden of fibromyalgia (FM) are high for patients and society at large. Knowing potential determinants of economic costs may help in reducing this burden. Cognitive appraisals (perceptions) of the illness could affect costs.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy targeting fear of progression in an interdisciplinary care program: a case study in systemic sclerosis.

People living with chronic illness often report uncertainty about the future, fear of disease progression, fear of becoming physically disabled, and a reduced life expectancy as important sources of stress. However, little is known about psychological interventions targeting these concerns. The aim of this study is to illustrate an intervention to reduce emotional distress and concerns about the future in a patient with systemic sclerosis (SSc), a rare chronic rheumatic disease with serious consequences for most patients, and to present a preliminary report on its effectiveness using a single-case study design.

Behavior change, acceptance, and coping flexibility in highly distressed patients with rheumatic diseases: feasibility of a cognitive-behavioral therapy in multimodal rehabilitation.

Objective: To describe the development and feasibility of the integration of a cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) within a multimodal rehabilitation program for highly distressed patients with rheumatic diseases.

Methods: Development included the detailed specification of the theoretical and empirical-based underpinnings of the CBT and the comprehensive description of its design and content. Feasibility was assessed by percentage of eligible patients, attrition and attendance rates, and patient satisfaction.