Fam Pract. 2023 Jan 19:cmad002. doi: 10.1093/fampra/cmad002. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36656068.
Conclusion
Rather than assuming that patients desire pain reduction first and foremost, we encourage clinicians to first explore what life values and goals matter most to their patients with chronic pain. It is not true that chronic pain reduction must happen before patient improvement is possible. Improvements in activity, mood, or sleep often occur before pain reduction. Clarification of values may help direct medical treatments for pain more efficiently (PPC original intention), but may also serve as a form of chronic pain treatment unto itself (as per ACT). Adapting PPC as a psychological treatment similar to ACT may offer a path forward using values-based chronic pain care to look beyond pain reduction to the values and goals that matter most to patients.