The experience of chronic pain and pain beliefs

Chronic pain is well appreciated as a universal problem in the sense that it causes serious impairment in the individuals' physical and psychosocial status of functioning. Research, psychological assesment and psychotherapeutic process towards chronic pain is most frequently based on the principles of cognitive-behavioral approach (CBA). However, Sharp criticised CBA for its ongoing dependency on the operant premises of the pure behavioral approach and proposed a "reformulated CBA" where the emphasis is on specific cognitive factors, primarily the pain beliefs. According to current studies in chronic pain, it is becoming increasingly apparent that pain beliefs play an important role in the maintainance and management of chronic pain. In Turkey, there are no studies and tools on pain beliefs. In this specific review, the literature on pain beliefs is discussed in terms of necessity of research and material development on pain beliefs that tab factors specific to Turkish culture.