Association between psychological factors and headache burden in patients with migraine and tension-type headache: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This review highlights the relevance of depression, anxiety, fear of pain, and self-efficacy in relation to headache burden in migraine and TTH. Incorporating psychosocial assessment into headache care may improve clinical reasoning and management. Further research should explore targeted interventions tailored to psychosocial profiles. Implications for rehabilitationPsychosocial factors, including depression, anxiety, fear of pain, and self-efficacy, are meaningfully associated with headache frequency, intensity, and disability in people with migraine and tension-type headache.Routine screening for these psychosocial factors may support more comprehensive assessment and clinical reasoning in rehabilitation settings.Rehabilitation professionals, including physiotherapists, rehabilitation physicians, neurologists, general practitioners, psychologists, and other healthcare providers involved in headache management, should consider adopting a biopsychosocial approach to address these psychosocial contributors within multidisciplinary headache care.