Practitioner characteristics associated with psychosocial care for patients with fibromyalgia

• Main Author: Bruckenthal, Patricia M
• Language: ENG
• Published: ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst 2004
• Subjects: Nursing|Rehabilitation|Therapy
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI3136712

The multidimensional nature of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) requires heath care practitioners to adopt a biopsychosocial approach to care in order to select appropriate individualized interventions for patients. The philosophical perspective of the practitioner and the level of frustration held by the practitioner towards patients with FMS are believed to contribute to the adoption of a biopsychosocial approach to care. The purpose of this study was to explore these specific practitioner characteristics and their relationship to the adoption of a psychosocial approach to care for patients with FMS. Specifically, the philosophical perspective of the practitioner and the frustration level of practitioners towards patients with FMS were explored as predictors to attitudes and beliefs about psychosocial care for patients with FMS. The sample for this descriptive correlational study consisted of 134 health care practitioners who care for patients with FMS. The Organicism-Mechanism Paradigm Inventory (OMPI) used to measure practitioner philosophical perspective and the Difficult Doctor Patient Relationship Scale (DDPRQ) used to measure frustration level in relation to attitudes and beliefs about psychosocial care for patients with fibromyalgia, measured by the Physician Belief Scale (PBS). Nurse practitioners and physicians differed significantly on philosophical perspective, frustration levels, and attitudes and beliefs about psychosocial care for patients with FMS. Philosophical perspective was a predictor of attitudes and beliefs towards psychosocial care for patients with FMS in a single predictor model. The same was true for frustration levels towards patients with FMS. However, only frustration level was predictive of attitudes and beliefs about psychosocial care when both variables of interest were entered in to a regression model. These findings have implications for care of patients with FMS. Practitioners who participate in educational interventions aimed at understanding and enhancing communication skills with patients seen as frustrating to the patient-practitioner relationship may improve care by utilization of a biopsychosocial approach.