The Patient-Provider Relationship in Chronic Pain

The relationship between patient and provider has long been the subject of study within the psychotherapy literature, with the available data suggesting a modest, but reliable, association between the strength of this relationship and treatment outcome. Conversely, there has been little work focused on the patient–provider relationship in chronic pain settings despite the complexities and difficulties that are often involved in this area. This review provides a brief, broad overview of the literature on the patient–provider relationship and identifies key aspects that are specifically relevant to chronic pain settings. In addition to reviewing the literature in this area, a series of recommendations for future clinical and academic work are offered.