Cognitive therapies helpful for people with rheumatoid arthritis – latest findings

Cognitive-behavioural coping skills training can help people with rheumatoid arthritis, once again highlighting the need for improvements in this area, says a study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

Experts looked at two types of psychological intervention separately and combined to see which was most effective for people with rheumatoid arthritis: written emotional closure and cognitive-behavioural coping skills training.

Cognitive-behavioural coping skills training involved using various cognitive techniques to enhance people’s ability to cope with pain and improve their behavioural and psychological functioning.

The study showed that this training had a positive effect on the pain and mood of patients that lasted for at least one year. Benefits comprised being more relaxed, taking more pleasure in various activities, better control of negative thoughts and a greater capacity for problem solving.

The other psychological intervention under scrutiny was written emotional closure. This is expressive writing about stress and was found to have no real impact on pain or mood, but did offer temporary (albeit inconsistent) benefits on patients’ joints and functioning.

“We probably need to identify and target those patients with unresolved stress or trauma, and then help them more effectively disclose and work with their unexpressed emotions,” explains Prof Mark Lumley, who led the work.

A spokeswoman from Arthritis Research UK comments:

“Cognitive behavioural therapies can be effective in people with a variety of musculoskeletal conditions, and we’ve shown that when delivered over the telephone it can also provide support for those with chronic pain syndromes.

“However, we’re aware that there’s a great need for more psychological support for rheumatoid arthritis patients and our research has highlighted the lack of this kind of support among rheumatology health professionals, largely due to lack of time.”

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