In 2017, Groeneweg, et. al., conducted a study about psychosocial variables that play a crucial role in influencing treatment outcomes for patients with neck pain. This study aimed to investigate whether psychosocial factors, alongside clinical variables, could serve as predictive factors for treatment success in individuals with sub-acute and chronic non-specific neck pain undergoing physical therapy or manual therapy. The psychosocial factors considered in this study included treatment outcome expectancy, treatment credibility, health locus of control, and fear avoidance beliefs.

This study presented a secondary analysis of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial conducted in a primary care setting. A total of 181 patients with neck pain were included, and potential predictors were assessed at baseline. The outcomes were measured at 7 weeks and 26 weeks.

Hierarchical logistic regression models revealed that treatment outcome expectancy significantly predicted treatment success, in addition to clinical and demographic variables. Expectancy accounted for an additional variance of 6% to 17% in functioning at 7 weeks, and 8% to 16% in functioning at 26 weeks. For pain outcomes, expectancy explained an additional variance of 6% at 7 weeks and 8% at 26 weeks. However, health locus of control and fear avoidance beliefs did not significantly contribute to predicting treatment outcomes.

Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that treatment outcome expectancy has significant predictive value for treatment success in patients with non-specific sub-acute and chronic neck pain. These results emphasize the importance of considering psychological processes and health perceptions in addition to clinical variables when making treatment decisions for individual patients.

The inclusion of psychosocial factors in treatment decision-making processes is crucial for tailoring therapeutic options to meet the specific needs of patients with neck pain. Understanding how psychological factors interact with clinical variables can enhance treatment outcomes and improve patient care. Healthcare professionals should recognize the significance of patients’ outcome expectancy and incorporate it into the treatment planning process to optimize treatment success.

Reference: Groeneweg, R., Haanstra, T., Bolman, C. A., Oostendorp, R. A., van Tulder, M. W., & Ostelo, R. W. (2017). Treatment success in neck pain: the added predictive value of psychosocial variables in addition to clinical variables. Scandinavian journal of pain, 14(1), 44-52.