International Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Open Access

Abstract

Strategies on Dealing with Non- Compliant Patients with Chronic Pain: An Applied Behavioral Analysis Approach on Fear Avoidance

Jihan Amr Hussein El Sokkary

Non- compliance with prescribed treatment is an important cause of delay of recovery of patients. Researchers have reported that fear avoidance has been a known reason for non-compliance with patients with chronic pain. This behavior can be a challenge for therapist for there is no one way to deal with this. However, the selection of which technique to implement for a particular patient should be guided by information gathered about the particular patient and the possible reason(s) for the non-compliance. The purpose of this presentation is to provide strategies to understand and address non-compliance of patients due to fear avoidance with the use of applied behavioral analysis. Some strategies that will be discussed are how to 1) identify the cause of the behavior 2) break vicious cycle 3) build behavior momentum. In this context, the function of the behavior is defined in terms of its maintaining consequences and interventions are then designed to target those consequences.

Published Date: 2020-09-16; Received Date: 2020-09-02