Changes in pain catastrophizing, fear-avoidance beliefs, and pain self-efficacy mediate changes in pain intensity on disability in the treatment of chronic low back pain

Abstract

Treatment of chronic low back pain (CLBP) based on the fear-avoidance model (FAM) has received support in randomized controlled trials, but few studies have examined treatment processes associated with treatment outcome. This study examined changes in pain catastrophizing, fear-avoidance beliefs, and pain self-efficacy as mediators of the relation between changes in pain intensity and disability in exposure-based treatment of CLBP.