ABSTRACT
Headache complaints constitute one of the most common areas of concern amongst patients who seek medical treatment. It has been estimated that about 40 per cent of the adult population experience regular headaches. During the past 15 years, psychologists have proposed various treatment approaches that appear to be effective with many headache sufferers. Such treatments include relaxation training, biofeedback, and, more recently, cognitive therapy. When the clinician interviews a person who presents with chronic headaches, it is necessary to obtain a detailed account of the features and history of the headache attacks, antecedent events and consequences and the cognitive, physiological and behavioural aspects of the problem. Information obtained from such assessment will assist in the selection of particular treatment components. This chapter indicates how to conduct this type of interview with patients who present with headaches. It provides a guide to the areas of inquiry that may be useful in assessing clients who suffer from headaches.
