scholarly journals Catastrophizers with Chronic Pain Display more Pain Behaviour when in a Relationship with a Low Catastrophizing Spouse

2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 293-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Gauthier ◽  
Pascal Thibault ◽  
Michael JL Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Pain Catastrophizing ◽  
Pain Experience ◽  
Pain Behaviour ◽  
Pain Communication ◽  
Chronic Pain Patients ◽  
Scale Scores ◽  
Pain Outcomes ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Pain Patients

The present study examined the relationship between couple concordance of catastrophizing and adverse pain outcomes. Possible mechanisms underlying the relationship between couple concordance of catastrophizing and pain outcomes were also explored. Fifty-eight couples were recruited for the study. The chronic pain patients were filmed while lifting a series of weighted canisters. The spouse was later invited to view the video and answer questions about the pain experience of their partner. Median splits on Pain Catastrophizing Scale scores were used to create four ‘catastrophizing concordance’ groups: low catastrophizing patient-low catastrophizing spouse; low catastrophizing patient-high catastrophizing spouse; high catastrophizing patient-low catastrophizing spouse; and high catastrophizing patient-high catastrophizing spouse. Analyses revealed that high catastrophizing pain patients who were in a relationship with a low catastrophizing spouse displayed more pain behaviours than patients in all other groups. These findings suggest that high catastrophizing chronic pain patients may need to increase the ‘volume’ of pain communication to compensate for low catastrophizing spouses’ tendency to underestimate the severity of their pain experience. Patients’ perceived solicitousness and punitive response from the spouse could not explain the group differences in pain behaviour. Theoretical and clinical implications of the findings are discussed.

The relationship between chronic musculoskeletal pain, anxiety and mindfulness: Adjustments to the Fear-Avoidance Model of Chronic Pain

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 156-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine B. Curtin ◽  
Deborah Norris
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Musculoskeletal Pain ◽  
Pain Catastrophizing ◽  
Pain Severity ◽  
Fear Avoidance ◽  
Pain Anxiety ◽  
Fear Avoidance Model ◽  
Chronic Pain Patients ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Pain Patients

AbstractBackground and purposeThe Fear-Avoidance Model of Chronic Pain proposed by Vlaeyen and Linton states individuals enter a cycle of chronic pain due to predisposing psychological factors, such as negative affectivity, negative appraisal or anxiety sensitivity. They do not, however, address the closely related concept of anxious rumination. Although Vlaeyen and Linton suggest cognitive-behavioral treatment methods for chronic pain patients who exhibit pain-related fear, they do not consider mindfulness treatments. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP), ruminative anxiety and mindfulness to determine if (1) ruminative anxiety is a risk factor for developing chronic pain and (2) mindfulness is a potential treatment for breaking the cycle of chronic pain.MethodsMiddle-aged adults ages 35-50 years (N = 201) with self-reported CMP were recruited online. Participants completed standardized questionnaires assessing elements of chronic pain, anxiety, and mindfulness.ResultsRuminative anxiety was positively correlated with pain catastrophizing, pain-related fear and avoidance, pain interference, and pain severity but negatively correlated with mindfulness. High ruminative anxiety level predicted significantly higher elements of chronic pain and significantly lower level of mindfulness. Mindfulness significantly predicted variance (R2) in chronic pain and anxiety outcomes. Pain severity, ruminative anxiety, pain catastrophizing, pain-related fear and avoidance, and mindfulness significantly predicted 70.0% of the variance in pain interference, with pain severity, ruminative anxiety and mindfulness being unique predictors.ConclusionsThe present study provides insight into the strength and direction of the relationships between ruminative anxiety, mindfulness and chronic pain in a CMP population, demonstrating the unique associations between specific mindfulness factors and chronic pain elements.ImplicationsIt is possible that ruminative anxiety and mindfulness should be added into the Fear-Avoidance Model of Chronic Pain, with ruminative anxiety as a psychological vulnerability and mindfulness as an effective treatment strategy that breaks the cycle of chronic pain. This updated Fear-Avoidance Model should be explored further to determine the specific mechanism of mindfulness on chronic pain and anxiety and which of the five facets of mindfulness are most important to clinical improvements. This could help clinicians develop individualized mindfulness treatment plans for chronic pain patients.

scholarly journals Time course of attentional bias to painful facial expressions and the moderating role of attentional control: an eye-tracking study

2019 ◽  
pp. 204946371986687 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahdi Mazidi ◽  
Mohsen Dehghani ◽  
Louise Sharpe ◽  
Behrooz Dolatshahi ◽  
Seyran Ranjbar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Attentional Bias ◽  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Attentional Control ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Pain Catastrophizing ◽  
Moderation Effect ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Pain Patients

Introduction: This study investigated the time course of attention to pain and examined the moderating effect of attentional control in the relationship between pain catastrophizing and attentional bias in chronic pain patients. Methods: A total of 28 patients with chronic pain and 29 pain-free individuals observed pictures of pain, happy and neutral facial expressions while their gaze behaviour was recorded. Pain intensity and duration, anxiety, depression, stress, attentional control and pain catastrophizing were assessed by questionnaires. Results: In all subjects, the pattern of attention for pain faces was characterized by initial vigilance, followed by avoidance. No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of orientation towards the stimuli, the duration of first fixation, the average duration of fixation or number of fixations on the pain stimuli. Attentional control moderated the relationship between catastrophizing and overall dwell time for happy faces in pain patients, indicating that those with high attentional control and high catastrophizing focused more on happy faces, whereas the reverse was true for those with low attentional control. Conclusion: This study supported the vigilance–avoidance pattern of attention to painful facial expressions and a moderation effect of attentional control in the association between pain catastrophizing and attentional bias to happy faces among pain patients.

Evaluation of Using the Sphygmomanometer Test to Assess Pain Sensitivity in Chronic Pain Patients vs Normal Controls

Pain Medicine ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 2903-2912
Author(s):  
Seth Butler ◽  
Kyle Draleau ◽  
Ross Heinrich ◽  
Liem Nguyen ◽  
David Shbeeb ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Pain Sensitivity ◽  
Pain Catastrophizing ◽  
Sensitivity Test ◽  
Heat Sensitivity ◽  
Nociceptive Response ◽  
Sensitivity Tests ◽  
Pressure Algometer ◽  
Chronic Pain Patients ◽  
Pain Patients

Abstract Objectives Objectively measuring pain sensitivity has not been easy in primary care clinics. A sphygmomanometer test (a sensory test that measures an individual’s nociceptive response to pressure using a standard blood pressure cuff) has recently been established to test pain sensitivity. Here, we examined the feasibility of using the sphygmomanometer test with chronic pain patients. Design Population, observational study. Settings A community hospital multidisciplinary Pain Center and a private nonprofit university. Subjects Healthy controls and chronic pain patients were recruited. Methods All subjects underwent four pain sensitivity tests: a pressure algometer test, a cold pressure test, a heat sensitivity test, and a sphygmomanometer test. Participants then completed four established surveys for evaluating depression (Patient Health Questionnaire–9), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder–7), fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale), and pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale). Results Although pain patients had significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, fatigue, and pain catastrophizing, as well as reported pain scores, no significant differences in pain sensitivity were detected via any of the pain sensitivity tests. In the control but not the patient group, results from all pain sensitivity tests including the sphygmomanometer test were significantly correlated with each other. Unlike other pain sensitivity tests, the sphygmomanometer test did not correlate with measures of depression, anxiety, fatigue, or pain catastrophizing characteristics. Conclusions Our results indicate the unique characteristics of the sphygmomanometer test as a pain sensitivity test, particularly when utilized for individuals with chronic pain. Multiple pain sensitivity tests that assess various sensory modalities are needed to evaluate pain sensitivities in chronic pain patients.

scholarly journals Action identification and meaning in life in chronic pain

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Richardson ◽  
Stephen Morley
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Pain Interference ◽  
Action Identification ◽  
Life Meaning ◽  
Behavioural Activity ◽  
Chronic Pain Patients ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Pain Patients

AbstractBackground and aimsWe explore the relationship between behaviour and cognition in chronic pain by applying Action Identification Theory (AIT). AIT holds that every action may be construed in several ways. High level construals confer greater meaning than lower level construals. When an action is interrupted a lower level, more concrete identity with reduced meaning is elicited. We hypothesized that interference of activity by chronic pain affects the meaning ascribed to activity and thus a person’s overall sense of meaning in life.MethodsIn Study 1, a measure of Action Identification in Pain (AIP) is developed. In Study 2, the AIP was administered to 47 chronic pain patients who also completed the Meaningful Life Measure and measures of pain interference, depression, acceptance and optimism.ResultsHigh levels of action identification were positively correlated with meaning in life and high levels of interference were negatively correlated with meaning in life. Contrary to expectation interference and action identification were not associated. Further analyses showed that inclusion of depression, acceptance and optimism eliminated the effect of pain interference but only optimism abolished the effect of action identification.ConclusionChronic pain patients holding higher levels of action identification report a greater sense of meaning in life. Meaning in life is also associated with the amount of interference of behavioural activity. The anticipated relationship between action identification and interference was not observed. The present evidence suggests that interference and action identification contribute independently to a person’s sense of meaning in life.

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