Predictors of Treatment Expectations in Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Design and setting: Cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted at a private physiotherapy clinic in Konya, Turkiye, between April and August 2026.

Participants: Adults (18 years and older) with a diagnosis of MPS, a pain intensity of at least 3 on a visual analog scale, and scheduled to receive at least two weeks of physiotherapy. Individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis, a chronic systemic disease, or any barrier preventing communication are excluded.

Sample size: Based on an a priori power analysis (G*Power; effect size 0.15, power 0.80, alpha 0.05), a minimum of 85 participants is required.

Measures: A personal information form; the Treatment Expectation Questionnaire (TEX-Q), Turkish version, as the dependent variable; pain intensity and duration via a visual analog scale; health-related quality of life via the Short Form-36 (SF-36); and fatigue via the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI).

Analysis: Descriptive statistics, the Shapiro-Wilk test for normality, and multiple linear regression models (with 95% confidence intervals) to examine the associations between treatment expectations and pain intensity, pain duration, quality of life, and fatigue. Statistical significance is set at p<0.05.

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18 years and older
• Diagnosis of myofascial pain syndrome
• Pain intensity of at least 3 on the Visual Analog Scale
• Scheduled to receive at least two weeks of physiotherapy

Exclusion criteria

• Diagnosed psychiatric disorder
• Chronic systemic disease
• Any barrier preventing communication