Effects of Pain Neuroscience Education vs. Self-Management Education in Low Back Pain

There is some evidence in the literature suggesting better effects of pain neuroscience than "traditional pain education" based on pain self-management ("living despite the pain") and biomedical models. As the focus is based on cognitive change, pain neuroscience programs could be more effective than pain self-management programs, contributing to reconceptualize beliefs and minimize the level of threatening perceived by the brain. Gallagher et al (2013) reported effects of a pain neuroscience education program based on a book of metaphors compared to a pain self-management program (Back book) and reported greater immediate from pain neuroscience education on pain catastrophizing and pain knowledge. The hypothesis of this study is that a pain neuroscience education will show more effective results for pain intensity, catastrophizing and pain self-efficacy when compared to the pain self-management program in patients with CLBP. The purpose of this study will be to compare the immediate effects of an educational program focused on Pain Neuroscience Education vs. Pain self-management program for patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) considering the outcomes of pain intensity, catastrophizing and pain self-efficacy. The investigators will recruit 108 with CLBP between 18 and 60 years and both genders. The sample size will be randomized into two arms: fifty participants will be submitted to Pain Neuroscience Education and the remaining fifty to Pain Self-Management education. Both interventions will be administered in one session (50 minutes). The programs will be showed as interactive workshops. Participants will be submitted to a brief initial assessment considering: pain intensity, fear of movement, anxiety and depression, catastrophizing, pain self-efficacy and global perceived effect.