Valedictory lecture Prof. dr. Johan Vlaeyen
Professor of "The Psychology of Bodily Distress" in the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience
"Pain, behavior, and the individual"
Chronic pain constitutes a substantial global health burden, with an estimated prevalence of 20% among adults worldwide, resulting in significant functional disability for a considerable proportion of affected individuals. While pharmacological interventions demonstrate limited long-term efficacy, accumulating evidence supports the utility of cognitive-behavioural approaches in pain management. These interventions specifically target the psychological mechanisms maintaining chronic pain and associated disability, including avoidance behaviour, pain-related fears and negative expectations.
In this valedictory address, I will briefly delineate the epidemiology and impact of chronic pain. Subsequently, I will examine the role of avoidance in pain chronicity, how avoidance behaviour can be invigorated by environmental cues, and demonstrate how exposure in vivo effectively can reverse pain-related disability. The lecture concludes with a comprehensive analysis of single-case experimental designs, addressing their theoretical foundations, methodological advantages, and implementation strategies. These designs represent a rigorous methodological framework for developing empirically supported individualized interventions, ultimately improving outcomes for individuals living with chronic pain.
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