Efficacy of brief person-centered cognitive behavioral therapy to facilitate self-management for patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A mixed methods case series feasibility study

The psychological consequences of living with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) are commonly reported by patients. The objectives of this study were: (i) to investigate views of patients with RA about the provision of psychological support; and (ii) to study the efficacy of a person-centred cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) self-management approach, including a health economic investigation to explore the service use and costs related to treatment in patients with RA. A mixed methods was applied: a formative qualitative interview study and a quantitative CBT intervention outcome assessment together formed the case series feasibility study design, including a health economic investigation. The qualitative study highlighted that patients would welcome emotional support. The CBT intervention from a small sample suggested that participants may have benefitted from the intervention at the endpoint of the follow-up. The results of the economic component need to be interpreted with caution in relation to service gaps. A broad approach in the delivery of a psychological intervention may benefit patients with long-term conditions, such as RA. The practice implications of these results are that RA patients may benefit from psychological interventions to cope better with their long-term condition through face to face intervention with a flexible appointment system. Intervention studies are necessary to test this question in detail in the future.