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Process-based therapy in an interdisciplinary framework for pain recovery: from psychological processes to interdisciplinary processes

Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science (JCBS)
Volume 39, January 2026

Authors

Klara Albajes, Valentina Barrios, Eduardo Keegan, Jenny Moix, Mariana Miracco, & Lester Jones

Key Findings

  • Advances Process-Based Therapy (PBT) for pain recovery.
  • Integrates biopsychosocial factors and therapeutic strategies.
  • Shows how interdisciplinary work expands the biopsychosocial pain model.
  • Supports individualized, dynamic, process-focused interventions.
  • Offers a cost-efficient, multi-disciplinary approach to pain.

Abstract

A new psychosocial approach has recently been proposed to overcome the limitations and challenges of psychological pain therapy research. Process-based Therapy is an intervention model focusing on therapeutic processes, based on a testable theory, which promotes individualisation by adopting a dynamic and timely approach to the selection of intervention treatment procedures. Although this framework already incorporates a biopsychosocial foundation, its application has so far been primarily confined to psychological intervention. However, the use of an interdisciplinary team approach has been well-established as both effective and cost-efficient in addressing the multiple dimensions of pain. Building upon the biopsychosocial principles of Process-based Therapy, the present proposal introduces an interdisciplinary enhancement—Process-based Interdisciplinary Therapy (PbIT)—to extend its implementation to coordinated, multi-domain pain recovery. Socio-demographic and mediating variables, together with specific therapeutic strategies and interventions, are key elements to integrate all biopsychosocial factors in a therapeutic context. The interdisciplinary approach presented provides an expanded Process-based Therapy that further operationalises and reinforces the biopsychosocial model of pain.

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