Internal health locus of control as a predictor of pain reduction in multidisciplinary inpatient treatment for chronic pain: a retrospective study

Elian Zuercher-Huerlimann,1,2 Julian A Stewart,1,3 Niklaus Egloff,1 Roland von Känel,4 Martina Studer,1,3 Martin grosse Holtforth1,31Division of Psychosomatic Medicine, Department of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland; 2Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; 3Department of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; 4Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandPurpose: Chronic pain is a major health concern and its treatment requires physiological as well as psychological interventions. This study investigates the predictive value of health locus of control (HLOC) in pain intensity in chronic pain patients in an inpatient treatment setting.Patients and methods: Data of 225 patients with a chronic pain condition were collected in a psychosomatic university clinic in Switzerland. Self-report assessment tools were used to measure pain intensity pre- and posttreatment and with a questionnaire dimensions of the HLOC were captured. Using hierarchic linear regression analysis, the predictive value of HLOC was investigated.Results: A higher internal HLOC at pre-treatment was associated with a greater reduction in pain intensity from pre- to posttreatment (β = −0.151, p