Table 3 Subjective responses related to pain (N = 30)

Examples of the experimental group’s answers to open ended questionsone – five

Question 1: Did you find the 6 week course helpful to you in any way? If so how did it help you?

Participant V: “All the pain was gone”

Participant A: “Much better with pain and sometimes without pain.”

Participant N: “Yes, pain relief.”

Participant R:”…and now I don’t have to rely on pain pills anymore.”

Participant AA: “it gave me motivation again because my life was all about pain before. Now I use my workbook and it helps a lot”

Participant CC: “…and it decreased my pain.”

Participant XX: “…and to decrease pain.”

Participant 36: “Yes the course was very helpful, but I am in painagain – then it was better, but not so much now”

Participant 31: “Yes. I learned so much about my pain and how I can make changes for myself and make the pain better”

Participant 11: “It was very helpful…I slept better and had nocramps – everything was much better.”

Participant 9: “Absolutely 100 %. I got a lot of relief from my pain…”

Participant 7: “My God – everything has changed. I don’t need operation anymore, I can work without pain…it takes my pain away – most ofthe time.”

Participant 47: “…It helped me to manage my pain…”

Question 2: What did you like about the course?

Participant S: “I learnt how to put ice on my knee to relieve the pain.”

Participant WW: “how to be more positive and to control pain.”

Participant 5: “…learning about pain and what I can do to make it better.”

Question 5: What did you like about the workbook?

Participant R: “…also the section about pain management and not having to rely on pills”

Participant 31: “Teaches us how to take care of ourselves, not to dependon medication…”

Participant 35: “That it could teach me things about pain and healthyliving - I still read in it.”