An Integrative Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program for Adults With Migraine: A Feasibility Study.

Objective: To present a novel cognitive behavioral therapy program that was developed exclusively for adults with migraine, and to assess the feasibility of this program.

Background: Unlike previous efforts, we combined different approaches of behavioral therapy into one program: relaxation therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, trigger management.

Methods: The treatment program consists of 7 sessions (including psychoeducation, lifestyle counseling, coping with fear of attacks, trigger management, and stress management). The research was conducted in a single-group study with N = 9 completers (age: M = 41.6, SD = 17.6 years; N = 8 female, N = 1 male; N = 5 migraine without aura, N = 2 migraine with aura, N = 2 chronic migraine). After each of the group therapy sessions, evaluation questionnaires were filled out, and individual qualitative interviews were conducted after completion of the program.

Results: The treatment program was very well accepted. Every session was rated as comprehensible, and overall satisfaction with the sessions was high. Participants greatly appreciated having access to a specific treatment, exclusively addressing migraine.

Conclusions: The idea of combining several approaches of behavioral therapy into a specific treatment program for migraine seems to be feasible and promising. A randomized controlled trial to determine the efficacy of our program is currently running.