Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Lisa Scharff

Abstract

Researchers have found that age, sex, education level, and pretreatment pain levels may be significant predictors of patient outcomes; however, it remained unknown whether the timing of treatment predicts pain and disability after a multidisciplinary short-term intensive pain treatment program. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to use archival data to examine whether the timing of entry into a multidisciplinary short-term intensive pain treatment program predicted pain and functioning levels at posttreatment. Glasser’s choice theory was used to examine whether the combined effect of pretreatment pain, occupational disability level, age, sex, education level, and time of entrance predicted treatment outcome, as measured by change in pain and disability level using multivariate linear regression modeling. The combined effect of age, sex, education level, and time of entrance controlling for preprogram pain and disability levels was statistically significant in accounting for variance in posttreatment program pain and disability levels. Program occupational disability level was a significant predictor of posttreatment program occupational disability levels. Education levels of general equivalency diploma, high school diploma, and bachelor’s degree, as well as pretreatment pain level, were significant predictors of posttreatment pain level. Those with at least a bachelor’s degree had the greatest decrease in posttreatment pain levels. Health care managers may use these findings for positive social change by developing policies and creating awareness, especially among less educated patients, on the importance of pain management while providing appropriate treatment to patients.

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