PSYC 3170 Chapter Notes - Chapter 12: Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Reinforcement, Headache
20 Sep 2017
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Advantages of group psychotherapy over individual therapy in treating pain: efficacy, reduced isolation, credible feedback for patients, a new reference group for patients, and a different perspective for the therapist. Applying operant conditioning methods to modify patients" behaviour. The first goal is to reduce the patient"s reliance on medication. This can be achieved with the patient"s approval, by mixing the painkiller with a flavoured syrup pain cocktail and giving it on a fixed schedule. The second goal is to reduce the disability that generally accompanies chronic pain conditions. This is accomplished by altering the consequences for behaviour so that they promote well behaviour and discourage pain behaviour. Studies have shown the operant techniques can successfully decrease patients" pain reports and medication use and increase their activity levels. First, after the operant intervention ends and rewards are discontinued, some patients revert to their old pattern of inactivity and pain behaviour.
