Utility of Pain Drawings Rated for Non-Organic Pain in Chronic Low Back Pain Populations: A Qualitative Systematic Review

Pain drawings are useful for comprehensively assessing chronic pain. They are brief to administer and score, easy to use, and provide information about patient outcomes. In the present study, pain drawings evaluating non-organic pain were examined for utility and effectiveness. A qualitative systematic review revealed that non-organic pain drawings, although diverse in nature, are highly reliable and valid and relate to many constructs. Pain drawing ratings may be a general screener for psychosocial distress, as they relate to demographics, medication use, personality, cognition, quality of life, self-reported disability, and work outcomes. Although utilization of non-organic pain scales has become less frequent, the concept of non-organic pain remains relevant, despite new terminology usage, such as somatization and central sensitization.