The Psychology of Chronic Pain

Pain psychology is a core component of intervention for pediatric chronic pain and particularly so for children undergoing Intensive Interdisciplinary Pain Treatment (IIPT). In this portion of the course, attendees will receive an in depth learning experience to better understand pain psychology, its application to chronic pain treatment, and its integration into IIPT. Specifically, attendees will learn about the nature of chronic pain from a psychological standpoint, including how to effectively provide psychoeducation about chronic pain, and ways to conceptualize pain and develop a treatment plan using a biopsychosocial framework. Next, they will learn about the application of evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for pediatric chronic pain, including hands on training in coping skills. Finally, they will experience how psychology is integrated into IIPT and learn about the efficacy of this approach. The presentation will be geared toward attendees from a variety of backgrounds and skill levels, so that those less familiar with pain psychology will leave with a better understanding of the general approach, and those with more experience will be able to take away new, specific skills.