Dynamics of changes in self-efficacy and locus of control expectancies in the behavioral and drug treatment of severe migraine.

Author(s): Seng EK, Holroyd KA

Affiliation(s): Department of Psychology, Ohio University, 200 Porter Hall, Athens, OH 45701-2979, USA. es842306@ohio.edu

Publication date & source: 2010-12, Ann Behav Med., 40(3):235-47.

Publication type: Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

BACKGROUND: Modification of expectancies (headache self-efficacy and headache locus of control) is thought to be central to the success of psychological treatments for migraine. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine expectancy changes with various combinations of Behavioral Migraine Management and migraine drug therapies. METHODS: Frequent migraine sufferers who failed to respond to 5 weeks of optimized acute migraine drug therapy were randomized to a 2 (Behavioral Migraine Management+, Behavioral Migraine Management-) x 2 (beta-blocker, placebo) treatment design. RESULTS: Mixed models for repeated measures analyses (N = 176) revealed large increases in headache self-efficacy and internal headache locus of control and large decreases in chance headache locus of control with Behavioral Migraine Management+ that were maintained over a 12-month evaluation period. Chance headache locus of control and socioeconomic status moderated changes in headache self-efficacy with Behavioral Migraine Management+. CONCLUSIONS: The "deficiency" hypothesis best explained how patient characteristics influenced changes in of headache self-efficacy with Behavioral Migraine Management.