Graduation Semester and Year

2015

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Robert J Gatchel

Abstract

Most researchers suspect that anywhere from 5% to 12% of Americans suffer from Temporomandibular Joint and Muscle Disorders (TMJMDs), which impair jaw functioning and can promote various complications, particularly for people with myogenous TMJMD. Fortunately, past research has established that an early intervention is effective for TMJMD patients in that it not only relieves symptoms but also provides long-term benefits. It was suspected that an investigation of treatment effects on diagnostic subgroups of TMJMD patients would clarify such findings. However, to my knowledge, long-term treatment effects had not been evaluated in an acute TMJMD population by subgroups of diagnoses. Therefore, I hypothesized that the effects of a biobehavioral intervention, which is meant to address health issues from a biopsychosocial perspective, would benefit myogenous TMJMD patients the most when compared to other patients in terms of psychological distress, pain, and functionality. Ultimately, it was found that pain was reduced and functionality was increased for myogenous TMJMD patients who received a biobehavioral intervention; however, these patients did not report the most improvement in terms of psychological distress.

Disciplines

Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

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