How Does Self-Efficacy Affect Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain?

Self-efficacy is your belief in your own abilities to deal with various situations. Wanted to share a Journal of Pain 2018 review study that compiled data from 27 previous studies on self-efficacy and the prognosis of chronic musculoskeletal pain. We need more quality studies in this area but the results are in line with what I have seen in people with chronic pain. One of the goals with treatment is to build better self-efficacy. To build beliefs that we are not damaged but are actually ok and can move forward with confidence.

“Our results suggest that higher self-efficacy levels are associated with greater physical functioning, physical activity participation, health status, work status, satisfaction with the performance, efficacy beliefs, and lower levels of pain intensity, disability, disease activity, depressive symptoms, presence of tender points, fatigue, and presenteeism.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28939015