Limited attention has been devoted in school psychology training programs to students with chronic health conditions. School psychologists are situated to provide behavioral and mental health services to students with chronic health conditions. The focus of this report is on pediatric chronic pain. Pediatric chronic pain is prevalent and can be…

Chronic pain affects 35% to 57% of the adult population in the United States and results in billions of dollars spent annually in direct health-care costs and lost productivity. Extensive research confirms the considerable role psychological factors play in the experience and expression of chronic pain. The author discusses implications for…

The experience of chronic pain is largely influenced by core schemas and cognitive processes, including those that are religious in nature. When these schemas are negative, they contribute to the exacerbation of pain and related problems. A framework is presented for the identification of problematic religious schemas and their modification…

Ninety-five persons receiving treatment for chronic pain were surveyed using the Spirituality and Chronic Pain Survey (SCPS). The survey included a pain assessment, a spiritual/religious practices assessment, and questions related to spiritual/religious beliefs and attitudes. Most participants reported experiencing constant, higher-level pain. The…

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequently co-occurs with other conditions and symptoms that can complicate assessment and treatment. Of these, chronic musculoskeletal pain and related avoidance behaviors are amongst the most common and, unfortunately, the most often overlooked. In this paper we discuss issues that warrant consideration in…

Randomized controlled studies have shown that cognitive-behavioral therapies are effective for treating various forms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with most research focusing on combat or sexual-assault-related PTSD. A challenge currently facing researchers and practitioners is to develop specialized protocols for treating other forms…

This case report addresses assessment and treatment considerations for a patient suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the context of mild traumatic brain injury and ongoing pain. Management of this case is based on the application of evidence-based therapy, and of cognitive behaviour therapy, for PTSD reduction. Assessment and…

This commentary reviews the case of GH, a survivor of a road traffic collision, who has chronic pain and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The case formulation, assessment strategy, and treatment plan are informed by the relevant experimental literature and empirically supported treatments using a cognitive behavioral perspective. Given this…

For Vietnamese refugees, we describe (a) how headache- and orthostasis-focused panic attacks are generated, (b) a culturally sensitive treatment for PTSD with comorbid headache- and orthostasis-focused panic attacks, and (c) the outcome of a treatment series. In a multiple-baseline, across-subjects design (N = 3), all patients demonstrated…