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Separate and Combined Effects of CBT and Drug Therapy:
Psychosocial Outcomes in the Treatment of Chronic
Tension-type Headache
K. Holroyd, M. Stensland
Posted: September 2005  
Journal of Pain, Vol. 6, March 2005

This study reports data from the Treatment of Tension-type Headache clinical trial evaluating tricyclic antidepressant medication (AM), cognitive-behavioral stress-management therapy (SMT) and their combination (AM + SMT) versus pill placebo (PL) in the treatment of chronic tension-type headache (CTTH).

Although the three active treatments were equally effective in reducing tension-type headache activity relative to placebo, the three treatments differed in their impact on psychosocial measures. SMT, but not drug therapy altered participants’ beliefs about the variables controlling their headaches and their ability to manage headache episodes.