The Percept Study: Illness Perceptions in Physiotherapy

General conclusions: Based on this thesis and looking at whether and how IPs affect the symptoms of MusculoSkeletal Pain, we conclude: • The Brief IPQ-DLV can be used, in combination with a personal interview, in primary physiotherapy care to assess patients’ perceptions about their illness. • Baseline IPs are not predictive for recovery outcomes at 3 months in the physiotherapeutic management of MSP. • The IPs Consequences, Personal Control, Identity, Concern and Emotional Response significantly mediate the effect of physiotherapy management in patients with persistent low back pain. • The IP Personal Control significantly modifies the effect of physiotherapy management in patients with persistent low back pain. Recommendations for further research: • Investigate potential improvements of the Brief IPQ-DLV with ‘thinking-aloud’ studies with people with MSP. • Carry out additional matched-care intervention studies of changing dysfunctional IPs and the impact of this on pain intensity and physical functioning in people with MSP. • Conduct research on larger groups to investigate more precisely the modifying and mediation effects of each individual IP on MSP management outcomes. Recommendations for clinical practice: • To this end, make use of the Brief IPQ-DLV, followed up by interview to qualitatively explore patients’ perceptions. • Explore dysfunctional IP dimensions Consequences, Personal Control, Identity, Concern and Emotional Response during physiotherapy treatment, for their mediating effect. • Explore the dysfunctional IP dimension Personal Control before physiotherapy treatment for its moderating effect.