SynthesisPhysical therapy2022
Preferred Communication Strategies Used by Physical Therapists in Chronic Pain Rehabilitation: A Qualitative Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis.
Synthesis in Physical therapy, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.
- Verbal framing, rather than measured cognitive-affective variables, is associated with short-term outcomes after spinal manipulation: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.Pain management · 2026Trial
- Patient and Clinician Perspectives on Chronic Pain Communication in Advanced Kidney Disease.Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · 2026Article
- Understanding the treatment journey and experiences of knee osteoarthritis patients receiving standard care in Singapore: a qualitative study.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- More Frequent Empathic Communication by Physical Therapists Is Associated With Improved Outcomes for Low-Impact Chronic Pain.Physical therapy · 2026Article
- Chronic Pain Management Approaches among Spanish Physiotherapists: Influences, Practices, Barriers, and Challenges.Journal of personalized medicine · 2024Article
- Effects of Individualized Exercise on Risk Factors of Metabolic Syndrome: A Scoping Review.Journal of obesity & metabolic syndrome · 2024Article
- Psychologically Informed Practice: The Importance of Communication in Clinical Implementation.Physical therapy · 2023Review
- Interprofessional Active Learning for Chronic Pain: Transforming Student Learning From Recall to Application.Journal of medical education and curricular developmentReview
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveLack of clarity regarding effective communication behaviors in chronic pain management is a barrier for implementing psychologically informed physical therapy approaches that rely on competent communication by physical therapist providers. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-synthesis to inform the development of a conceptual framework for preferred communication behaviors in pain rehabilitation.
methodsTen databases in the health and communication sciences were systematically searched for qualitative and mixed-method studies of interpersonal communication between physical therapists and adults with chronic pain. Two independent investigators extracted quotations with implicit and explicit references to communication and study characteristics following Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research and Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Methodological quality for individual studies was assessed with Critical Appraisal Skills Programme, and quality of evidence was evaluated with GRADE-CERQual. An inductive thematic synthesis was conducted by coding each quotation, developing descriptive themes, and then generating behaviorally distinct analytical themes.
resultsEleven studies involving 346 participants were included. The specificity of operationalizing communication terms varied widely. Meta-synthesis identified 8 communication themes: (1) disclosure-facilitating, (2) rapport-building, (3) empathic, (4) collaborative, (5) professional accountability, (6) informative, (7) agenda-setting, and (8) meta-communication. Based on the quality of available evidence, confidence was moderate for 4 themes and low for 4 themes.
conclusionThis study revealed limited operationalization of communication behaviors preferred by physical therapists in chronic pain rehabilitation. A conceptual framework based on 8 communication themes identified from the literature is proposed as a preliminary paradigm to guide future research. IMPACT: This proposed evidence-based conceptual framework for preferred communication behaviors in pain rehabilitation provides a framework for clinicians to reflect on their own communication practices and will allow researchers to identify if and how specific communication behaviors impact clinical outcomes.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.