Acceptance and commitment therapy for chronic pain

Chronic pain, defined as pain that persists for 3 months or longer, is a common and costly health care concern. Psychological approaches to the treatment of chronic pain have a longstanding and robust evidence base of positive effectiveness. This article briefly reviews the history of these approaches and focuses on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for chronic pain, one of the most distinctive examples of the recently developed treatment approaches. ACT's theoretical model as it pertains to chronic pain is outlined, as is the evidence base regarding its measures, methods, treatment outcomes, and mechanisms. The article concludes with a discussion of key clinical issues and the identification of key avenues for future development.