Motivational Enhancement Therapy in Addition to Physical Therapy Improves Motivational Factors and Treatment Outcomes in People With Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objectives: To examine whether the addition of motivational enhancement treatment (MET) to conventional physical therapy (PT) produces better outcomes than PT alone in people with chronic low back pain (LBP). Design: A double-blinded, prospective, randomized, controlled trial. Setting: PT outpatient department. Participants: Participants (N=76) with chronic LBP were randomly assigned to receive 10 sessions of either MET plus PT or PT alone. Intervention: MET included motivational interviewing strategies and motivation-enhancing factors. The PT program consisted of interferential therapy and back exercises. Main Outcome Measures: Motivational-enhancing factors, pain intensity, physical functions, and exercise compliance. Results: The MET-plus-PT group produced significantly greater improvements than the PT group in 3 motivation-enhancing factors; proxy efficacy (P<.001), working alliance (P<.001), and treatment expectancy (P=.011). Furthermore, they performed significantly better in lifting capacity (P=.015), 36-Item Short Form Health Survey General Health subscale (P=.015), and exercise compliance (P=.002) than the PT group. A trend of a greater decrease in visual analog scale and Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire scores also was found in the MET-plus-PT group than the PT group. Conclusion: The addition of MET to PT treatment can effectively enhance motivation and exercise compliance and show better improvement in physical function in patients with chronic LBP compared with PT alone.