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Table 1 Variables of the 28 selected studies (in chronological order)

From: From research to clinical practice: a systematic review of the implementation of psychological interventions for chronic headache in adults

Paper

Country

Setting

Pathology declared in the paper

Study design

Intervention

Intervention provider

D’Souza et al. 2008 [52]

USA

University

migraine and/or TTH

RCT

RT vs WED vs control

audiotape-guided exercises

Matchar et al. 2008 [48]

USA

University+ primary care setting

migraine and/or TTH or other primary headache

RCT

educational session (including information on headache type, pharmacologic treatment, triggers, sleep hygiene, and relaxation techniques) + diagnosis and treatment by a professional especially trained in headache care + proactive follow-up by a case manager vs usual care

mid-level provider (eg, nurse practitioner or PA) with expertise in headache evaluation and management

Sauro et al. 2008 [11]

CANADA

University

primary headache (MoH included)

observational

CHAMP Program includes: 1. Education Session2. Lifestyle Assessment3. Self-Management Workshop4. Nursing Contact and Advice5. Physician Visit

psychologist, nurse, physician, kinesiologist, occupational therapist, neurologist

Grazzi et al. 2009 [67]

ITALY

IRCCS (Institute for Treatment and Research)

migraine (after withdrawal from MoH)

observational, non-randomized

pharmacological treatment+limited-contact RT vs pharmacological treatment alone

ns

Gunreben-Stempfle et al. 2009 [12]

GERMANY

Tertiary pain center (University)

migraine and/or TTH and other primary headache (MoH included but discontinuation of medication in the case of MoH)

prospective cohort

high intensity 96-h multidisciplinary headache treatment program (CBT-SMT + PMR + physical exercices+education) vs low intensity 20-h program and primary care

qualified psychologist and neurologist

Holroyd et al. 2009 [60]

USA

University

TTH (MoH excluded)

RCT

AM vs PL vs CBT-SMT + PL vs CBT-SMT + AM

psychologist or masters level counselor

Fritsche et al. 2010 [53]

GERMANY

Headache center (University hospital)

migraine (prevention of MoH)

RCT

cognitive-behavioral MCP vs brochure (bibliotherapy) for the prevention of MoH

psychological psychotherapists with special professional education in pain therapy and long-standing experience in the treatment and research of headache syndromes, especially of drug-induced-headache

Gaul et al. 2011 [13]

GERMANY

Tertiary headache center (hospital)

migraine and/or TTH and/or MoH

prospective observational

MTP (individual CBT sessions, PMR, physical therapy, aerobe ergometer training, face-to-face appointment with neurologist and psychologist)

behavioral psychologist, physioterapist

Hedborg and Muhr 2011 [14]

SWEDEN

University

migraine and/or TTH

RCT

hand massage+multimodal behavioral treatment vs multimodal behavioral treatment vs control group.

online administration (program developed by authors together with a professional advisor in stress management)

Abdoli et al. 2012 [54]

IRAN

University hospital

TTH

RCT

GI (with tape or perceived happy memory) vs control group

certified and experienced psychoterapist

Bembalgi et al. 2012 [65]

INDIA

University hospital

TTH (MoH excluded)

RCT

auditory BF vs visual BF vs combined BF vs control group (only medication prescribed by their physician)

ns

Ezra et al. 2012 [23]

ISRAEL

University hospital

TTH (MoH included)

retrospective

HR vs amitriptyline

neurologist with hypnosis training

Mo’tamedi et al. 2012 [61]

IRAN

University+headache centre (hospital)

migraine and/or TTH

RCT

ACT+TAU vs TAU

experienced graduate hospital staff certified psychologist

Ruehlman et al. 2012 [50]

USA

Pain centre

migraine and/or TTH and/or cluster headache and other chronic pain conditions

RCT

CPMP vs TAU

online adiministration (content developed by a team of psychologists, employee assistance professional and physical therapist)

Wallasch et al. 2012 [15]

GERMANY-SWITZERLAND

Tertiary headache center (hospital)

migraine and/or TTH and other primary headache and/or MoH

prospective observational, non-randomized

3 modules (moderate, severe and severe with additional problem chronicity):1. education and patient self-management; 2. module 1 treatment and a MTP consisting of individual and group sessions of CBT, PMR etc.; 3. module 1 and 2 plus hospitalization

psychologist, neurologist, psysical therapist

Slavin-Spenny et al. 2013 [69]

USA

University

headache

RT

AAET vs RT vs waiting list

four female doctoral students in clinical psychology who were trained in interventions

Cathcart et al. 2014 [55]

AUSTRALIA

University

TTH (MoH excluded)

RCT pilot

brief MBT vs waiting list

experienced psychologist with formal mindfulness training

Day et al. 2014 [63]

USA

University+ headache centre

migraine and/or TTH or other primary headache (MoH included)

RCT pilot

MBCT vs DT

advanced graduate student in clinical psychology and licensed clinical psychologist with extensiveexperience in the treatment of pain. A certified yoga instructor conducted the guided mindful movement segment

Martin et al. 2014 [66]

AUSTRALIA

University

migraine and/or TTH (MoH excluded)

RCT

LCT (including desensitization) vs avoidance vs CBT + avoidance vs waiting list

two doctoral-trained psychologists

Christiansen et al. 2015 [56]

GERMANY

University hospital

migraine and/or TTH (MoH excluded)

single-group outcome study

CBT (psychoeducation, PMR, coping strategies for pain and stress, and goal setting skills)

a team of five clinical psychologists

Cousins et al. 2015 [68]

UK

University

migraine (MoH included)

RCT pilot

brief guided self-help CBT and relaxation vs standard medical care

trained CBT therapist supervised by senior CBT therapist

Bakhshani et al. 2016 [64]

IRAN

University+ hospital

migraine and/or TTH

RCT

MBSR+drug vs drug

ns

Rausa et al. 2016 [51]

ITALY

University hospital+clinical centre

migraine and/or TTH (focused on MoH)

RCT pilot

frontal BFB + prophylactic pharmacological therapy vs prophylactic pharmacological therapy+weekly sessions with a psychologist (interviews about previousweek’s headaches, mood, and analgesic intake)

ns for BFB; psychologist for control group

Smitherman et al. 2016 [57]

CANADA

University hospital

migraine with comorbid insomnia (MoH excluded)

RCT pilot

CBT for insomnia vs control group

three graduate-level therapists with backgrounds in cognitive-behavioral therapy and behavioral medicine

Grazzi et al. 2017 [59]

ITALY

IRCCS (Institute for Treatment and Research)

migraine (after withdrawal from MoH)

exploratory

MBSR vs medication

experienced neurologist trained in mindfulness practice

Krause et al. 2017 [49]

USA

Hospital

primary and secondary headaches (MoH included)

prospective cohort

BFB, psychotherapy, psycho-educational group, group family meeting+nursing +medical+physical modules

ns

Wachholtz et al. 2017 [58]

USA

University

migraine, mixed migraine

RCT

spiritual meditation vs internally focused secular meditation vs externally focused meditation vs PMR

research assistants who were trained on the study protocols

Minen et al. 2019 [62]

USA

University hospital

migraine

observational

RELAXaHEAD (app)

app

  1. AET Anger Awareness and Expression Training, ACT Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, AM tricyclic antidepressant medication, BFB biofeedback, CBT Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CHAMP Calgary Headache Assessment And Management Program, CPMP Chronic Pain Management Program, DT delayed treatment, GI guided imagery, LCT Learning to Cope with Triggers, HR hypnotic relaxation, MBCT Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, MBSR Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction training, MBT mindfulness-based training, MCP Minimal Contact Program, MoH Medication overuse Headache, MTP Multidisciplinary Treatment Program, ns not specified, PMR Progressive Muscle Relaxation, PL placebo, RCT Randomized Controlled Trial, RT Relaxation Training, SMT Stress-Management Therapy, TAU Treatment As Usual, TTH Tension Type Headache, WED Written Emotional Disclosure