An examination of the structural link between post-traumatic stress symptoms and chronic pain in the framework of fear-avoidance models

2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 1129-1138 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.E. López-Martínez ◽  
C. Ramírez-Maestre ◽  
R. Esteve
2020 ◽  
pp. 135910532094781 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Devlin ◽  
Sara Casey ◽  
Scott Williams ◽  
Melita J Giummarra

This study investigated relationships between post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and pain disability. Fifty people with chronic pain (probable PTSD, n = 22) completed measures assessing pain interference, PTSS, fear avoidance, and pain self-efficacy. We hypothesized that people with probable PTSD would have higher fear avoidance and lower pain self-efficacy; and that PTSS would be indirectly associated with pain disability via fear avoidance and self-efficacy. People with probable PTSD had higher fear avoidance, but there were no differences in self-efficacy, pain severity or disability. There was an indirect association between PTSS and pain disability via fear avoidance, but not via self-efficacy.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mazidi ◽  
Kelsey Vig ◽  
Mohammad-Reza Ebrahimi ◽  
Seyran Ranjbar ◽  
Ali Khatibi

Background: Cognitive models propose that attentional dysregulation, including an attentional bias towards threat, is one potential mechanism underlying the association between chronic pain and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). We assessed the attentional bias for painful facial expressions and its relationship with PTSS, using both traditional and variability-based attentional bias measures, among veterans with chronic pain and PTSS and controls.Method: Fifty-four veterans with chronic pain and 30 age/education-matched controls participated in this investigation. Participants completed a self-report measure of PTSS and a dot-probe task with painful/happy/neutral facial expressions. Attention was assessed using both traditional and variability-based reaction time measures of attentional bias.Results: Veterans directed attention away from painful facial expressions (i.e., avoidance) relative to both the control group (between-subject effect) and relative to zero. Veterans showed significantly elevated attentional bias variability for happy and painful expressions compared to controls. Veteran’s attentional bias variability for happy expressions was correlated with PTSS and symptoms of depression.Conclusion: Veterans with chronic pain and PTSS avoided pain-related stimuli and displayed an overall attentional dysfunction for emotional facial expressions. Avoidance of pain cues may be a coping strategy that these individuals develop under stressful conditions. Implications, limitations, and directions for future are discussed.


2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Gascon ◽  
J. P. Pereira ◽  
M. J. Cunha ◽  
M. A. Santed ◽  
B. Martinez-Jarreta

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