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Geleide visualisatie bij fibromyalgie: effecten op pijn, zelfeffectiviteit en functionele status.

Verkaik, R., Busch, M., Koeneman, T., Berg, R. van den, Spreeuwenberg, P.M.M., Francke, A.L. Geleide visualisatie bij fibromyalgie: effecten op pijn, zelfeffectiviteit en functionele status. Psychologie & Gezondheid: 2011, 39(5), p. 282-291.
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Objectives: Previous studies into the effects of guided imagery in patients with fibromyalgia show varying results. The current study gives more insight into the effects on pain, self-efficacy and functional status. Design: A randomized clinical trial with pre-test, post-test and follow-up measurements. Subjects: 65 patients (32 experimental; 33 control) with a fibromyalgia diagnosis shorter than 6 years, recruited from a patient organisation and calls in local newspapers in the Netherlands. Intervention: The intervention group received two 1,5 hour group sessions, including group conversation, instruction about Guided Imagery and the distribution of a cd with Guided Imagery exercises. The intervention group was asked to do one or two Guided Imagery exercises per day during 4 weeks. The control group received two 1,5 hour group sessions, including group conversation only. Outcome measures: Daily pain was assessed during 26 days with a pain diary using a 10 cmVisual Analogue Scale. Functional status and selfefficacy were measured at pre-test, post-test ( 4 weeks after pre-test) and at follow-up (10 weeks after pre-test), using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire and the subscale self-efficacy in dealing with pain of the Chronic Pain Self-efficacy Scale. Results: No effects of guided imagery were established on daily pain, functional status or self-efficacy in dealing with pain. Discussion: Possible explanations for the diverging results between studies might be found in the specific content of the exercises (pleasant imagery versus pleasant imagery + focus on pain in the current study), the length of the intervention period and the background of participants (recruitment via physicians versus recruitment via patient organisations in the current study). Additionally, the study concludes that the focus of interventions for patients with fibromyalgia should not only be on chronic pain, but also on other symptoms, like fatigue and sleep disturbances. (aut. ref.)