Psychological Assessment of the Chronic Pain Patient: Behaviors, Cognitions, and Dynamics

A good deal has been written about psychological assessment and treatment of chronic pain.1–5 It is not the aim of this chapter to review these studies but rather to draw from them in presenting a systematic approach to psychological evaluation of the individual presenting with chronic pain of a nonmalignant etiology. Several studies are cited, however, as they pertain to the process and method of psychological evaluation of chronic pain. Recent research findings in assessment and evaluation are introduced in the context of their clinical utility and applicability in the assessment process.