Lifestyle Redesign® Intervention for Psychological Well-Being and Function in People With Fibromyalgia: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Abstract Importance: Fibromyalgia is a complex chronic pain condition for which effective nonpharmacological treatment interventions are lacking. Objective: To explore the effects of an occupational therapy intervention for fibromyalgia on client-reported outcomes of pain interference, self-efficacy, mood, and function. Design: Retrospective cohort study using a chart review method. Setting: Outpatient clinic. Participants: Twenty-one adults with fibromyalgia (M age = 54 yr). Intervention: A 10-wk occupational therapy group intervention using a Lifestyle Redesign® (LRD) approach. Outcomes and Measures: The Brief Pain Inventory, Pain Self-Efficacy Scale, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) or the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire were administered at the first and last sessions of the program. Results: Between 2015 and 2018, 37 clients entered the program, and 21 completed it. Changes in group averages exceeded the minimal clinically important difference for the BDI and the FIQ. Eighty-one percent of clients who completed the program had a clinically significant improvement on one or more of the outcome measures. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings demonstrate the potential benefit of occupational therapy as a complementary approach to pharmacological treatment for people with fibromyalgia. Preliminary evidence suggests that a 10-wk occupational therapy group intervention using an LRD approach may reduce symptoms of depression and decrease the impact on daily function for people with fibromyalgia. What This Article Adds: Occupational therapy should be considered as a nonpharmacological intervention for adults with fibromyalgia to improve psychological well-being and function.