| Dear et al.38 | Australia | Randomize controlled trial | Online vs. workbook;Identical contents of information given to each group over 8 weeks, 2 psychologists with weekly contact to support their learning;(1) To provide information that helps participants to understand and deconstruct their symptoms and difficulties; (2) To teach a range of self-management skills to help participants manage their symptoms and difficulties; and (3) To reduce pain-related disability and improve emotional well-being by encouraging the practice and adoption of the skills taught within the program. | Clinic & Community | 178 adults with chronic pain | Both groups had similar positive result in level of disability, anxiety, and depression for immediate post treatment, 3 months and 12 months follow ups | The absence of a control group which limits the ability to control for general time effects, spontaneous remission, and the impacts of other treatments |
| Morone et al.39 | U.S.A | Randomize controlled trial | Meditation vs. education;8 weeks program, group education, one topic 1 week;To determine the impact of an 8-week mindfulness meditation program on disability, psychological function, and pain severity in community-dwelling older adults with chronic low back pain, and to test the education control program for feasibility. | Community | 40 Adults ≥65 years with chronic low back pain | Both groups improved on measures of disability, pain, and psychological function, both at program completion and 4 months follow-up | Small sample size, the sample was also predominantly white and well-educated |
| Chiauzzi et al.40 | U.S.A | Randomize controlled trial | Website vs. text based;Two groups received different information: website group with CBT and self-management as principle; text group had general information of back pain sent by regular email;To determine whether an interactive self-management website for people with chronic back pain would significantly improve emotional management, coping, self-efficacy to manage pain, pain levels, and physical functioning compared with standard text-based materials. | Clinic & Community | 209 adults with chronic back pain | Online interactive group with tailored contents showed effect changes in pain, depression, anxiety, and global rates of improvement compared with text group | Control group does not have same support as from the intervention group in the study; different recruitment ways brought participants with different baseline conditions |
| Van Oosterwijck et al.41 | Belgium | Randomize controlled trial | PN vs. pacing self-management;2 weeks education, once a week, first session was one-to-one and face-to-face, second session was delivered through telephone contact to ensure participants understanding the information from session one;To examine whether intensive pain physiology education is effective in FM patients, and whether it is able to influence the impaired endogenous pain inhibition of these patients. | Community | 30 patients with FM | Neurophysiology group showed improvement in knowledge of PN, less worrying time, physical function, mental health, general health perception, and lower pain scores compared with self-management group | Small sample, 4 males in the sample |
| Ittersum et al.42 | Belgium | Randomize controlled trial | PN education vs. relaxation education;Both groups use a 15-pages booklet over 6 weeks, read by participants themselves;To determine whether the 12-week, “Pain Education School” program developed at a Midwestern VA medical center benefited veterans who suffer from chronic or persistent, noncancer pain. | Clinic | 105 patients with FM | No differences between two groups and pre–post test, both groups showed no effective changes in pain cognitions, health status in patients with FM | High dropout rates, small sample, not sure how much the participants understand the intervention/education materials |
| Cosio & Lin43 | USA | Quasi experiment study | Pain Education School Pre–Post test;Once a week, one-hour classes for 12 weeks, participants were not required to attend all sessions, they can choose the topics they like, delivered by multidisciplinary health professionals;To determine whether the 12-week, “Pain Education School” program developed at a Midwestern VA medical center benefited veterans who suffer from chronic or persistent, noncancer pain. | Clinic | 206 veterans with chronic pain | Study showed significant difference in pain intensity, readiness for Self-management, experience of pain, and depression by pre–post test | Lack of control group, education sessions are based on patient self-selection, so not all participants finished 12 weeks education |
| Morlion et al.44 | Belgium | Quasi experiment study | Multidisciplinary pain education program Pre-post test;4 sessions × 2 h over 2 weeks, delivered by multidisciplinary health professionals;A brief intervention to rapid improve core symptoms and complaints for people with chronic noncancer pain; to determine factors associated with improvement defined in terms of change in pain symptoms. | Clinic | 63 adults with chronic pain | Study showed improvement in pain symptoms and action-proneness but not in depression and kinesiophobia | Lack of control group |
