Evaluating clinical psychology doctoral students' competence in delivering CBT for chronic pain

BMC Med Educ. 2026 Jun 19. doi: 10.1186/s12909-026-09757-9. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain affects approximately 20% of adults in the United States and is associated with significant psychological and functional impairment. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based intervention for chronic pain, but there is a shortage of trained providers. The Chronic Pain Management Program (CPMP) was developed to train clinical psychology doctoral students in delivering CBT for chronic pain. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the CPMP in improving trainees' knowledge, clinical experience, and perceptions of their competency in providing CBT-based interventions for chronic pain.

METHODS: Sixteen doctoral students completed the CBT for Chronic Pain Competence Scale (CCPCS) before and after participating in the CPMP. The CCPCS, adapted from an existing CBT competence measure, assessed self-reported knowledge, experience, and perceptions related to CBT for chronic pain. Internal consistency was examined using Cronbach's alpha, and paired-samples t-tests were conducted to evaluate pre-to-post training changes.

RESULTS: The CCPCS demonstrated strong internal consistency across all subscales. Paired-samples t-tests revealed significant improvements in self-reported knowledge (Cohen's d = -2.85) and experience (Cohen's d = -3.05), suggesting the CPMP effectively enhanced trainees' competence in delivering CBT for chronic pain. However, perceptions of CBT's effectiveness did not significantly change, indicating that attitudes toward CBT may be more resistant to change or that the perception subscale requires refinement.

CONCLUSIONS: The CPMP successfully increased trainees' views on their knowledge and experience in CBT for chronic pain, reinforcing the value of structured, interdisciplinary training programs in addressing shortages in psychological treatment of pain management. Future research should further examine the long-term impact of the CPMP on trainee knowledge and skill in delivering CBT for chronic pain and refine assessment tools to better capture changes in clinical attitudes.

PMID:42316225 | DOI:10.1186/s12909-026-09757-9