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Weiß M, Jachnik A, Lampe EC, Gründahl M, Harnik M, Sommer C, Rittner HL, Hein G. Differential effects of everyday-life social support on chronic pain. BMC Neurol 2024; 24:301. [PMID: 39198777 PMCID: PMC11351827 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-024-03792-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social support is a multidimensional construct encompassing emotional support as well as pain-focused care and attention, also known as solicitous support. One the one hand, social support is widely believed to positively influence pain symptoms, their intensity, and the ability to cope and influence pain. On the other hand, social support can be negative if it conflicts with the patient's needs or even causes discomfort. How different types of social support influence pain is not very well understood especially because most of the present research originates from laboratory studies, raising uncertainties about its generalizability to the everyday life of individuals with chronic pain. METHODS Here, we tested the effects of emotional, solicitous, and negative social support on pain intensity cross-sectionally in everyday life. We collected data from 20 patients with acute complex regional pain syndrome using a smartphone-based Ecological Momentary Assessment with up to 30 survey prompts over a period of five consecutive days. RESULTS Our results showed that solicitous social support decreased pain, in particular in male patients. Emotional support was beneficial on pain in women but not in men. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these findings highlight the differential effects of social support in every-day life on chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Weiß
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Translational Social Neuroscience Unit, University Hospital Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany.
- Department of Psychology I: Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Annalena Jachnik
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Translational Social Neuroscience Unit, University Hospital Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Emilia C Lampe
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Translational Social Neuroscience Unit, University Hospital Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Marthe Gründahl
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Translational Social Neuroscience Unit, University Hospital Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Michael Harnik
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care, Emergency and Pain Medicine, Centre for Interdisciplinary Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Sommer
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Heike L Rittner
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care, Emergency and Pain Medicine, Centre for Interdisciplinary Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Grit Hein
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Translational Social Neuroscience Unit, University Hospital Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
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Yang Y, Mischkowski D. Integrating intra- and interpersonal perspectives on chronic low back pain: the role of emotion regulation and attachment insecurity. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1331227. [PMID: 38680279 PMCID: PMC11050035 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1331227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is burdensome and interferes with psychological and physical functioning of those affected. Past research has examined interpersonal (e.g., attachment insecurity) or intrapersonal factors (e.g., emotion regulation [ER]) involved in chronic pain. However, to enhance our understanding of CLBP's biopsychosocial underpinnings, more empirical integration of both intra- and interpersonal factors involved in CLBP is needed. Thus, our study examined the independent and joint associations of insecure attachment dimensions and ER strategies with CLBP severity and interference. Methods We recruited 242 US adults with CLBP through Prolific Academic, an online participant pool. Participants from Prolific Academic were eligible for the study if they were at least 18 years of age, resided in the US, reported CLBP at least half the days over the past 6 months (>3 months), and used prescribed pain medication for their CLBP. Data collection was between November 2021 and February 2022. Eligible participants filled out a Qualtrics survey which consisted of measures assessing insecure attachment dimensions, ER strategies, as well as demographical information. Outcome variables in the present study were CLBP severity and interference. We ran multiple linear regression models to examine the associations between ER strategies and insecure attachment dimensions as predictors, and CLBP severity or interference as predicted variables, after controlling for sex as a covariate; we also conducted moderation analyses to investigate the interactions between ER strategies and insecure attachment dimensions when testing associations with CLBP severity or interference. Results Our results indicated that, after controlling for ER strategies, anxious attachment was positively associated with CLBP interference but not pain severity (CI: 0.101 to 0.569; CI: -0.149 to 0.186); avoidant attachment was not associated with CLBP interference or severity (CI: -0.047 to 0.511; CI: -0.143 to 0.256). After adjusting for anxious and avoidant attachment, emotional expression and expressive suppression were positively associated with CLBP severity (CI: 0.037 to 0.328; CI: 0.028 to 0.421) but not interference (CI: -0.003 to 0.403; CI: -0.406 to 0.143). Furthermore, emotional expression was associated with CLBP severity and interference at low and medium levels of avoidant attachment (CI: 0.165 to 0.682; CI: 0.098 to 0.455); expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal did not interact with attachment dimensions when examining CLBP severity or interference (CIs: LLs ≤ -0.291 to ULs ≥ 0.030). Conclusion Our study shows that anxious attachment may be an interpersonal risk factor related to CLBP, above and beyond intrapersonal ERs, as anxious attachment was associated with higher levels of pain interference. Furthermore, emotional expression was associated with increased CLBP severity and interference, particularly among individuals at low and medium levels of avoidant attachment. Existing studies on chronic pain have mostly focused on examining intrapersonal or interpersonal correlates in isolation. The present study extends our understanding of CLBP by considering the role of interpersonal factors (i.e., insecure attachment dimensions), in combination with intrapersonal ER strategies. Given the correlational nature of the present study, longitudinal studies are needed to establish causality between psychosocial correlates and CLBP symptoms. Ultimately, we hope our integrated approach will facilitate the development of treatments and interventions tailored to address patients' attachment-related needs, enhancing the management and maintenance of CLBP among patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Yang
- Department of Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, United States
| | - Dominik Mischkowski
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
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Stragapede E, Huber JD, Corsini-Munt S. My Catastrophizing and Your Catastrophizing: Dyadic Associations of Pain Catastrophizing and the Physical, Psychological, and Relational Well-being of Persons With Endometriosis and Their Partners. Clin J Pain 2024; 40:221-229. [PMID: 38229502 DOI: 10.1097/ajp.0000000000001193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Endometriosis, a painful chronic gynecologic condition, contributes to disruptions in multiple areas of life for both those affected and their partner. Pain catastrophizing has been associated with worse pain outcomes and quality of life for women with endometriosis and with more cognitive load for partners. Examining both partners' pain catastrophizing dyadically with our variables of interest will enhance understanding of its associations with the distressing nature of experiencing and responding to pain during sex for couples with endometriosis. METHODS Persons with endometriosis experiencing pain during sex and their partners (n=52 couples; 104 individuals) completed online self-report measures of pain catastrophizing, depressive symptoms, sexual satisfaction, and partner responses to pain. Persons with endometriosis reported on pain during sexual activity. Analyses were guided by the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. RESULTS Persons with endometriosis' pain catastrophizing was associated with their higher pain intensity and unpleasantness during sex. When persons with endometriosis reported more pain catastrophizing, they were less sexually satisfied and reported their partners responded more negatively to their pain. When partners reported higher catastrophizing, they were more depressed and responded more negatively to the pain. DISCUSSION Consistent with the Communal Coping Model of pain catastrophizing, although meant to elicit support from the environment, the often-deleterious cognitive process of magnifying, ruminating, and feeling helpless about one's pain (or one's partner's pain) is associated with poorer outcomes for the individual with pain and their romantic partner. Implications for pain management include the relevance of involving the partner and attending to the pain cognitions of both members of the couple.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jonathan D Huber
- Huber Medicine Professional Corporation, Private Practice Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Feldman ECH, Lampert-Okin SL, Greenley RN. Relationships Between Abdominal Pain, Mental Health, and Functional Disability in Youth With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Pain Catastrophizing as a Longitudinal Mediator. Clin J Pain 2022; 38:711-720. [PMID: 36198108 DOI: 10.1097/ajp.0000000000001077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Abdominal pain can be a debilitating symptom for youth with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Across various pediatric conditions, pain predicts adverse physical and mental health outcomes. Understanding mechanisms by which pain impacts outcomes is of critical importance to enhance the well-being of those with IBDs. Pain catastrophizing mediates the aforementioned relationships in other pediatric populations, but little research has examined its role in pediatric IBDs. Attention to the role of pain catastrophizing as a potential mediator in pediatric IBD is the important given unique elements of the pain experience for this population. This study aimed to examine pain catastrophizing as a potential mediator of the relationship between abdominal pain and adverse outcomes in youth with IBDs. METHODS Seventy six youth (ages 11 to 18; M [SD] age=14.71 [1.80]) with IBD completed the Abdominal Pain Index (T1), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (T2, week 12), Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (T3, week 20), and Functional Disability Inventory (T3, week 20). RESULTS Catastrophizing mediated the relationship between abdominal pain and both anxiety symptoms ( b =1.61, Bias-Corrected Accelerated [BCa] CI, 0.25, 4.62) and functional disability ( b =0.77, BCa CI, 0.15, 2.38). A direct effect of abdominal pain on low mood was also noted ( b =1.17, BCa CI, 0.03, 2.50). Post hoc analyses examining mediation via catastrophizing subscales indicated that while magnification and rumination functioned as mediators, helplessness did not. DISCUSSION Findings are consistent with fear avoidance models and suggest that interventions directed at pain catastrophizing may be worthwhile in pediatric IBD populations, given catastrophizing-mediated relationships between pain and mental and physical health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estée C H Feldman
- Department of Psychology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL
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Post KM, Smith DA, Burns JW, Porter LS, Keefe FJ. A Dyadic Investigation of Depressed Affect and Interspousal Behavior in Couples With Chronic Back Pain. Ann Behav Med 2021; 56:1002-1013. [PMID: 34849529 DOI: 10.1093/abm/kaab100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression and marital discord are characteristic not only of individuals with chronic low back pain (ICPs) but also of their spouses. PURPOSE We examined actor-partner interdependence models to evaluate associations among depressed affect and criticism and support of partners at the same time point (concurrent effects) and 3 hr later (lagged effects). Fully dyadic models were used to account for both within-person and cross-spouse associations among depressed affect, criticism, and support for ICPs and spouses. We also examined the direction of the relationships (depressed affect predicting behavior and behavior predicting depressed affect) all while controlling for pain intensity, pain behavior, and the prior dependent variable. METHODS ICPs (n = 105) and their spouses completed electronic diary measures of depressed affect and behavior (criticism and support) five times a day for 2 weeks. Hierarchical linear modeling with person-mean centering was used for data analysis. RESULTS Within the same 3 hr epoch, more depressed affect was related to higher criticism and generally less support. Lagged analyses suggested bidirectional relationships between spouse's own depressed affect and spouse's own criticism of ICPs. Spouse depressed affect was also associated with decreased support received from ICPs. Pain behavior and pain intensity were also related to depressed affect, criticism, and support especially concurrently. CONCLUSIONS Theories and interventions need to address not only ICP depressed affect but also spouse depressed affect, as spouse depressed affect may be a stress generating precursor to criticism and support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina M Post
- Department of Psychology, University of La Verne, 1950 Third Street, Hoover Building, La Verne, CA 91750, USA
| | - David A Smith
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - John W Burns
- Department of Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Laura S Porter
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Francis J Keefe
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
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Battle of the Appraisals: Pain-Related Injustice Versus Catastrophizing as Mediators in the Relationship Between Pain Intensity and 3-Month Outcomes in Adolescents with Chronic Pain. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2021; 23:223-235. [PMID: 34403788 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2021.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Pain appraisals are closely tied to pain and functional outcomes. Pain-related injustice and pain catastrophizing appraisals have both been identified as important cognitive-emotional factors in the pain experience of youth. Although pain-related injustice and catastrophizing have been linked to worse pain outcomes - as primary predictors and intermediary variables - little is known about whether they operate as independent or parallel mediators of the relationship between pain and functioning in youth. We tested pain-related injustice and catastrophizing appraisals as candidate mediators of the relationship between baseline pain intensity and 3-month functional outcomes in adolescents. Youth with chronic pain (N = 89, 76% female, 89% White, average age = 15 years) completed measures assessing pain intensity, pain-related injustice, and catastrophizing at baseline, as well as measures assessing functional disability and overall quality of life 3 months later. Multiple mediation analyses indicated that injustice mediated the relationship between pain intensity and 3 month quality of life. Exploratory analyses of specific quality of life domains indicated that injustice mediated the relationship between pain intensity and 3 month emotional functioning, whereas catastrophizing mediated the relationship between pain intensity and 3 month social functioning. The findings suggest these pain-related appraisals play different intermediary roles in the relationships among pain and future psychosocial outcomes. PERSPECTIVE: Pain-related injustice and catastrophizing appraisals play different intermediary roles in the relationships among pain and future psychosocial outcomes in youth with chronic pain. Treatments targeting pain-related injustice appraisals in pediatric populations are needed to complement existing treatments for catastrophizing.
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Frumkin MR, Rodebaugh TL. The role of affect in chronic pain: A systematic review of within-person symptom dynamics. J Psychosom Res 2021; 147:110527. [PMID: 34082154 PMCID: PMC9009535 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Chronic pain is conceptualized as a biopsychosocial phenomenon that involves both physical and emotional processes. The vast majority of research regarding these facets of chronic pain characterizes differences between individuals. In this review, we describe problems with assuming that differences between persons accurately characterize within-person processes. We also provide a systematic review of studies that have examined within-person relationships between pain and affect among individuals with chronic pain. METHOD Articles published by December 2020 that pertained to within-person assessment of pain and emotion, affect, or mood were identified. Data regarding study design, adherence, and concurrent and prospective relationships among pain and affect variables were extracted and summarized. RESULTS Of 611 abstracts, 55 studies met inclusion criteria. Results suggest that individuals with chronic pain tend to experience increased negative affect and decreased positive affect when experiencing more severe pain (rpooled = .18 and - .19, respectively). However, the size of these effects appeared smaller than between-person associations, and there was evidence of significant variability between individuals. Examination of predictive relationships between pain and affect largely suggested the tendency of symptoms to predict themselves, rather than pain predicting affect or vice versa. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with group-level relationships, experiencing more severe pain relative to an individual's average seems to be associated with more negative affect and less positive affect. However, individuals vary in the size and even direction of these effects. More research is necessary to understand the implications of such variability for the assessment and treatment of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madelyn R. Frumkin
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States,Correspondence regarding this article should be addressed to Madelyn R. Frumkin, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Campus Box 1125, St. Louis, MO 63105. Phone: (314) 935-8627.
| | - Thomas L. Rodebaugh
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
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Pain catastrophizing in daughters of women with fibromyalgia: a case-control study. Braz J Anesthesiol 2021; 71:228-232. [PMID: 33934878 PMCID: PMC9373569 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjane.2020.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterized by chronic pain related to the musculoskeletal system. Patients feel incapable and show catastrophic thoughts (exaggeration of the sensations) related to painful events. This study aimed to compare catastrophic thoughts of pain between daughters of women with fibromyalgia and daughters of women without fibromyalgia, no daughter having the syndrome. It was a case-control study in which 76 women were included: 38 daughters of women diagnosed with fibromyalgia (case group), and 38 daughters of women without fibromyalgia (control group). The Brazilian versions of the Profile of Chronic Pain: Screen, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Resilience Scale, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were used. Data were tabulated and analyzed using SPSS 20.0. Continuous variables were compared between the groups using the Mann-Whitney U test or Student’s t-test for independent samples. A significant difference was considered at p < 0.05. Regarding catastrophism, the case group had higher total catastrophism compared to the control group (p = 0.025). Daughters of patients with fibromyalgia showed higher rumination and magnification levels related to pain (p = 0.028 and p = 0.007, respectively) but did not show hopelessness. This study concludes that daughters of women with fibromyalgia are more likely to have symptoms of fibromyalgia due to their visualization of the syndrome. This indicates that emotional aspects may induce changes, and additional research on an individual basis is necessary.
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Stone AA, Obbarius A, Junghaenel DU, Wen CK, Schneider S. High-resolution, field approaches for assessing pain: Ecological Momentary Assessment. Pain 2021; 162:4-9. [PMID: 32833794 PMCID: PMC7737856 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Arthur A. Stone
- Dornsife Center for Self-Report Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Alexander Obbarius
- Dornsife Center for Self-Report Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Center for Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Doerte U. Junghaenel
- Dornsife Center for Self-Report Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Cheng K.F. Wen
- Dornsife Center for Self-Report Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Stefan Schneider
- Dornsife Center for Self-Report Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Pereira MG, Carvalho C, Costa ECV, Leite Â, Almeida V. Quality of life in chronic pain patients: Illness- and wellness-focused coping as moderators. Psych J 2020; 10:283-294. [PMID: 33378796 DOI: 10.1002/pchj.410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Chronic pain is a health problem that significantly influences patients' lives, causing functional, social, socioeconomic, and emotional changes that impact quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to evaluate which variables (e.g., psychological morbidity, illness representations, pain, and coping) contribute to QoL and to analyse the moderating role of illness- and wellness-focused coping in the relationship between pain interference and Qol, in chronic pain patients. A sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Chronic Pain Coping Inventory, the Short Form Health Survey, and the Brief Pain Inventory were completed by 103 patients with chronic pain. Greater use of wellness-focused coping and being professionally active were associated with better physical QoL. Cognitive representations and illness-focused coping contributed to physical QoL, and psychological morbidity contributed to mental QoL. Illness-focused coping and wellness-focused coping moderated the relationship between pain interference and physical QoL, but not with mental QoL. Since pain interference was positively related to psychological morbidity, and the latter was negatively related to QoL, it is extremely important to evaluate and promote patients' coping strategies that are focused on well-being to improve QoL. Results from this study underline the relevance of a multidisciplinary approach to chronic pain and the need to account for psychological morbidity and coping strategies in intervention programs to promote QoL in chronic pain patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cátia Carvalho
- School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Eleonora C V Costa
- Department of Psychology, Portuguese Catholic University, Braga, Portugal
| | - Ângela Leite
- Cooperativa de Ensino Superior Politécnico e Universitário (CESPU), Gandra, Portugal
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Quinlan J, Willson H, Grange K. Hopes and fears before opioid tapering: a quantitative and qualitative study of patients with chronic pain and long-term opioids. Br J Pain 2020; 15:120-128. [PMID: 34055333 DOI: 10.1177/2049463720974053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background It is clear that the risks of opioids in chronic pain outweigh the benefits, creating a drive for clinicians to support patients taper and stop long-term opioids. However, it is not known how patients who have been taking these medicines for months or years feel about reducing them. Using quantitative and qualitative data, this study describes the psychological complexity of these patients and examines their hopes and fears before opioid reduction. Methods Sixty patients attending the opioid clinic completed psychological and pain questionnaires, providing quantitative data, just before they commenced opioid tapering. They scored the severity of opioid side effects and completed a free text framework to express their beliefs about stopping or continuing opioids. A phenomenological approach was used to identify common qualitative themes. Results Most patients were taking opioid doses above the UK recommended maximum dose and reported severe pain with high pain interference. Over 80% of patients described significant depression and 60% significant anxiety. Negative themes around stopping opioids were more common than positive ones, with 63% patients fearing increased pain. A quarter of patients referred to addiction and 16% feared withdrawal. Five patients hoped for a better quality of life; seven feared a worse one. Opioid side effects were common and severe. Conclusion Patients with chronic pain taking long-term opioids demonstrate high psychological distress and low self-efficacy. Their concerns around opioid tapering relate to pain, quality of life and withdrawal. Identifying and addressing patients' individual concerns should increase the likelihood of successful opioid tapering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Quinlan
- Nuffield Division of Anaesthetics, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
- Pain Management Centre, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Heather Willson
- Pain Management Centre, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Katheryn Grange
- Nuffield Division of Anaesthetics, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
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Abstract
Pain catastrophizing has been shown to predict greater pain and less physical function in daily life for chronic pain sufferers, but its effects on close social partners have received much less attention. The overall purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which pain catastrophizing is an interpersonal coping strategy that is maladaptive for patients and their spouses. A total of 144 older knee osteoarthritis patients and their spouses completed baseline interviews and a 22-day diary assessment. Multilevel lagged models indicated that, on days when patients reported greater catastrophizing in the morning, their spouses experienced more negative affect throughout the day. In addition, a higher level of punishing responses from the spouse predicted greater pain catastrophizing the next morning, independent of patient pain and negative affect. Multilevel mediation models showed that patients' morning pain catastrophizing indirectly impacted spouses' negative affect and punishing responses through patients' own greater negative affect throughout the day. There was no evidence that spouses' empathic or solicitous responses either followed or preceded patients' catastrophizing. These findings suggest that cognitive-behavioral interventions that reduce pain catastrophizing should be modified for partnered patients to address dyadic interactions and the spouse's role in pain catastrophizing.
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Kim H, Kim S, Kong SS, Jeong YR, Kim H, Kim N. Possible Application of Ecological Momentary Assessment to Older Adults' Daily Depressive Mood: Integrative Literature Review. JMIR Ment Health 2020; 7:e13247. [PMID: 32484442 PMCID: PMC7298638 DOI: 10.2196/13247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ecological momentary assessment is a method of investigating individuals' real-time experiences, behaviors, and moods in their natural environment over time. Despite its general usability and clinical value for evaluating daily depressive mood, there are several methodological challenges when applying ecological momentary assessment to older adults. OBJECTIVE The aims of this integrative literature review were to examine possible uses of the ecological momentary assessment methodology with older adults and to suggest strategies to increase the feasibility of its application in geriatric depression research and practice. METHODS We searched 4 electronic databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and EMBASE) and gray literature; we also hand searched the retrieved articles' references. We limited all database searches to articles published in peer-reviewed journals from 2009 to 2019. Search terms were "ecological momentary assessment," "smartphone assessment," "real time assessment," "electronic daily diary," "mHealth momentary assessment," "mobile-based app," and "experience sampling method," combined with the relevant terms of depression. We included any studies that enrolled older adults even as a subgroup and that reported depressive mood at least once a day for more than 2 days. RESULTS Of the 38 studies that met the inclusion criteria, only 1 study enrolled adults aged 65 years or older as the entire sample; the remainder of the reviewed studies used mixed samples of both younger and older adults. Most of the analyzed studies (18/38, 47%) were quantitative, exploratory (descriptive, correlational, and predictive), and cohort in design. Ecological momentary assessment was used to describe the fluctuating pattern of participants' depressive moods primarily and to examine the correlation between mood patterns and other health outcomes as a concurrent symptom. We found 3 key methodological issues: (1) heterogeneity in study design and protocol, (2) issues with definitions of dropout and adherence, and (3) variation in how depressive symptoms were measured with ecological momentary assessment. Some studies (8/38, 21%) examined the age difference of participants with respect to dropout or poor compliance rate. Detailed participant burden was reported, such as technical problems, aging-related health problems, or discomfort while using the device. CONCLUSIONS Ecological momentary assessment has been used for comprehensive assessment of multiple mental health indicators in relation to depressive mood. Our findings provide methodological considerations for further studies that may be implemented using ecological momentary assessment to assess daily depressive mood in older adults. Conducting more feasibility studies focusing on older adults with standardized data collection protocols and mixed-methods research is required to reflect users' experiences. Further telepsychiatric evaluation and diagnosis based on ecological momentary assessment data should involve standardized and sophisticated strategies to maximize the potential of ecological momentary assessment for older adults with depression in the community setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heejung Kim
- College of Nursing, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Mo-Im Kim Nursing Research Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunah Kim
- College of Nursing, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Mo-Im Kim Nursing Research Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Sook Kong
- School of Nursing, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Hyein Kim
- Severance Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Namhee Kim
- College of Nursing, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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14
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Smith T, Fletcher J, Lister S. Lived experiences of informal caregivers of people with chronic musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review and meta-ethnography. Br J Pain 2020; 15:187-198. [PMID: 34055340 DOI: 10.1177/2049463720925110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background People with chronic pain often seek support from friends and family for everyday tasks. These individuals are termed informal caregivers. There remains uncertainty regarding the lived experiences of these people who care for individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain. The aim of this article is to synthase the evidence on the lived experiences of informal caregivers providing care to people with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Methods A systematic literature review was undertaken of published and unpublished literature databases including EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, the WHO International Clinical Trial Registry and ClinicalTrials.gov registry (to September 2019). Qualitative studies exploring the lived experiences of informal caregivers of people with chronic musculoskeletal pain were included. Data were synthesised using a meta-ethnography approach. Evidence was evaluated using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme qualitative appraisal tool. Results From 534 citations, 10 studies were eligible (360 participants: 171 informal caregivers of 189 care recipients). The evidence was moderate quality. Seven themes arose: the relationship of caregivers to healthcare professionals; role reversal with care recipients; acting the confidant to the care recipient; a constant burden in caregiving; legitimising care recipient's condition; knowledge and skills to provide caregiving; and the perception of other family members and wider society to the caregiver/care recipient dyad. Conclusion The lived experiences of caregivers of people with chronic musculoskeletal pain is complex and dynamic. There is an inter-connected relationship between caregivers, care recipients and healthcare professionals. Exploring how these experiences can be modified to improve a caregiving dyad's lived experience is now warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toby Smith
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Jessica Fletcher
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Physiotherapy Department, Connect Health, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Sarah Lister
- Physiotherapy Department, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Norwich, UK
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15
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Wright RC, Junghaenel DU, Rivas R, Hristidis V, Robbins ML. A new approach to capturing pain disclosure in daily life in-person and online. J Health Psychol 2020; 26:2577-2591. [PMID: 32419503 DOI: 10.1177/1359105320918322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
This feasibility study employed a new approach to capturing pain disclosure in face-to-face and online interactions, using a newly developed tool. In Study 1, 13 rheumatoid arthritis and 52 breast cancer patients wore the Electronically Activated Recorder to acoustically sample participants' natural conversations. Study 2 obtained data from two publicly available online social networks: fibromyalgia (343,439 posts) and rheumatoid arthritis (12,430 posts). Pain disclosure, versus non-pain disclosure, posts had a greater number of replies, and greater engagement indexed by language style matching. These studies yielded novel, multimethod evidence of how pain disclosure unfolds in naturally occurring social contexts in everyday life.
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16
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Ryum T, Jacobsen HB, Borchgrevink PC, Landrø NI, Stiles TC. Interpersonal problems as a predictor of pain catastrophizing in patients with chronic pain. Scand J Pain 2019; 20:51-59. [PMID: 31560651 DOI: 10.1515/sjpain-2019-0064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Background and aims Pain catastrophizing has consistently been related to a variety of negative outcomes within chronic pain conditions, but competing models exist explaining the role of catastrophizing. According to the fear-avoidance model (FAM), catastrophizing is primarily related to the appraisal of pain (i.e. "intrapersonal"), whereas the communal coping model (CCM) suggests that catastrophizing is a strategy to elicit support (i.e. "interpersonal"). In order to examine the interpersonal nature of catastrophizing, this cross-sectional study examined interpersonal problems as a predictor of pain catastrophizing in a sample of patients (n = 97) with chronic pain. Methods Self-report data was taken from patients entering a multidisciplinary, inpatient rehabilitation program. The four quadrants of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems circumplex model (Hostile-Dominant, Hostile-Submissive, Friendly-Submissive, Friendly-Dominant) were used as predictors of pain catastrophizing in a series of separate, hierarchical regression analyses. Results After controlling for relevant confounding variables such as demographics (gender, age), pain severity, psychiatric symptoms (anxiety/depression, fatigue, insomnia), adverse life experiences and perceived social support, higher levels of Hostile-Dominant interpersonal problems predicted higher levels of pain catastrophizing (p ≤ 0.01, d = 0.56). Conclusions The results add support to the notion that pain catastrophizing may serve a communicative functioning, as predicted by the CCM, with cold, dominant and controlling behaviors as a maladaptive interpersonal strategy to elicit support. It may thus be useful to consider the broader interpersonal context of the individual, and not only the patient's appraisal of pain, when conceptualizing the role of pain catastrophizing in patients with chronic pain. Implications Future psychosocial research and treatment of chronic pain could be informed by including interpersonal theory as a useful theoretical framework, which may help shed more light on how interpersonal problems relates to pain catastrophizing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Truls Ryum
- Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Trondheim, Norway
- Hysnes Rehabilitation Center, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway, Phone: (+47)41 60 87 35
| | - Henrik Børsting Jacobsen
- Department of Pain Management and Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Hysnes Rehabilitation Center, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Petter Christian Borchgrevink
- Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Pain and Complex Symptom Disorders, Clinic of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, St. Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Tore Charles Stiles
- Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Trondheim, Norway
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17
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Carriere JS, Lazaridou A, Martel MO, Cornelius M, Campbell C, Smith M, Haythornthwaite JA, Edwards RR. The moderating role of pain catastrophizing on the relationship between partner support and pain intensity: a daily diary study in patients with knee osteoarthritis. J Behav Med 2019; 43:807-816. [PMID: 31828692 DOI: 10.1007/s10865-019-00121-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to examine the day-to-day associations between partner support, pain catastrophizing and pain intensity in individuals with end-stage knee osteoarthritis. In this microlongitudinal cohort study, participants (N = 124) with end-stage knee osteoarthritis completed baseline measures of trait pain catastrophizing and negative affect. Participants also provided daily diary assessments of partner support, pain catastrophizing and pain intensity for a period of 7 days using a personal digital assistant. Multilevel analyses revealed that day-to-day fluctuations in pain catastrophizing were associated with pain intensity. Data from multilevel analyses indicated that the main effect of partner support was not significantly associated with pain intensity. Results also indicated the interactions between partner support and both trait and state pain catastrophizing were significant, suggesting that both trait and state pain catastrophizing moderated the relationship between daily partner support and pain intensity. That is, on days when participants experienced low levels of partner support, high catastrophizers reported higher levels of pain intensity than low catastrophizers. In the presence of higher levels of partner support, pain intensity did not differ between high and low catastrophizers. These results are consistent with the Communal Coping Model of pain catastrophizing, and highlight the interpersonal context within which pain catastrophizing impacts pain outcomes. These findings also suggest that future interventions designed to specifically target the dynamic between pain catastrophizing and partner support may improve pain outcomes in individuals with end-stage knee OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junie S Carriere
- Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital Pain Management Center, Harvard Medical School, 850 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA.
| | - Asimina Lazaridou
- Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital Pain Management Center, Harvard Medical School, 850 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Marc Olivier Martel
- Faculties of Dentistry and Medicine, McGill University, 3640 University Street, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B2, Canada
| | - Marise Cornelius
- Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital Pain Management Center, Harvard Medical School, 850 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Claudia Campbell
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Michael Smith
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Jennifer A Haythornthwaite
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Robert R Edwards
- Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital Pain Management Center, Harvard Medical School, 850 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
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18
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Afifi TD, Afifi WA, Acevedo Callejas M, Shahnazi A, White A, Nimah N. The Functionality of Communal Coping in Chronic Uncertainty Environments: The Context of Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2019; 34:1585-1596. [PMID: 30239216 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2018.1514682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Most research suggests that communal coping, where a group of people own and act upon a shared stressor or uncertainty together, enhances mental health and fosters coping efficacy. The majority of this research, however, has been conducted in the United States in contexts where stress and uncertainty are relatively short-lived and with samples that are economically secure and moderately to highly educated. The purpose of this study was to understand how socio-emotional conditions, such as exposure to trauma and interparental conflict, influence the functionality of communal coping for adolescents in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, where chronic uncertainty is normative. One hundred eighty-five Palestinian adolescents (M age = 15.75) residing in two refugee camps in Beirut, Lebanon completed a cross-sectional survey. The results showed that communal coping with immediate family members was only beneficial for adolescents' mental health and hopelessness when their parents had moderate to little conflict and not high levels of conflict. Similarly, when adolescents had experienced trauma, engaging in high levels of communal coping accentuated, as opposed to buffered, the harmful effects of uncertainty on mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara D Afifi
- Department of Communication Arts and Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
| | - Walid A Afifi
- Department of Communication Arts and Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
| | | | - Ariana Shahnazi
- Department of Communication Arts and Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
| | - Amanda White
- Department of Communication Arts and Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
| | - Najib Nimah
- Department of Communication Arts and Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
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19
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The Impact of Emotional Regulation Strategies on Pain Catastrophizing in the Context of Interpersonal Relationships. Clin J Pain 2019; 35:925-932. [PMID: 31513053 DOI: 10.1097/ajp.0000000000000764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The Communal Coping Model suggests that pain catastrophizing may serve to elicit support from others. What is not known is how emotional regulation, namely emotional inhibition, impacts pain catastrophizing within the context of an interpersonal relationship. Individuals who have a greater tendency to emotionally inhibit may have a greater likelihood to use catastrophizing as a means for seeking support, particularly in relationships characterized by satisfaction and emotional validation. METHODS Data were collected from 50 undergraduate couples at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Participants were videotaped during the completion of an acute pain cold pressor task and completed measures involving pain catastrophizing, emotional inhibition, and relationship dynamics (ie, Ambivalence Over Emotional Expressiveness Questionnaire, White Bear Suppression Inventory, Dyadic Adjustment Scale). In addition, the videotaped interactions were coded for both invalidation/validation and overt expressions of pain catastrophizing. RESULTS Emotional inhibition, and both validation and invalidation were associated with pain catastrophizing. Observed validation and invalidation were not, however, directly associated with relationship satisfaction. Hierarchical linear regression showed a significant interaction between thought suppression and relationship satisfaction to predict pain catastrophizing. DISCUSSION Results show relationship satisfaction moderates the association between pain catastrophizing and thought suppression in a manner in which couples with high levels of relationship satisfaction who also engage in thought suppression are more likely to use pain catastrophizing as a cognitive strategy to elicit support. This study offers direction into treatment and suggests that couples based cognitive-behavioral treatments that aim to utilize adaptive cognitive and behavioral coping strategies, as well as emotional exploration and validation, may be beneficial.
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20
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Rosen NO, Bergeron S. Genito-Pelvic Pain Through a Dyadic Lens: Moving Toward an Interpersonal Emotion Regulation Model of Women's Sexual Dysfunction. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2019; 56:440-461. [PMID: 30252510 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2018.1513987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Researchers and clinicians alike widely acknowledge the inherently interpersonal nature of women's sexual dysfunctions given that both partners impact and are impacted by these difficulties. Yet theoretical models for understanding the role of interpersonal factors in women's sexual dysfunctions are severely lacking and have the potential to guide future research and inform more effective interventions. The most widely studied sexual dysfunction in women that has espoused a dyadic approach by including both members of affected couples is genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder (GPPPD). In this article we use the example of GPPPD to introduce a novel interpersonal emotion regulation model of women's sexual dysfunction. We first review current knowledge regarding distal and proximal interpersonal factors in GPPPD. Then, we describe our theoretical model and consider relevant pain and sex-related research on emotion regulation processes-emotional awareness, expression, and experience-in the context of GPPPD, including sexual function, satisfaction, and distress. Next, we review how existing theories from the fields of chronic pain and sex and relationships research have informed our model and how our model further builds on them. Finally, we discuss the implications of our model and its applications, including to other sexual dysfunctions in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie O Rosen
- a Department of Psychology and Neuroscience , Dalhousie University
- b Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , IWK Health Centre
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21
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Bovbjerg DH, Keefe FJ, Soo MS, Manculich J, Van Denburg A, Zuley ML, Ahrendt GM, Skinner CS, Edmond SN, Shelby RA. Persistent breast pain in post-surgery breast cancer survivors and women with no history of breast surgery or cancer: associations with pain catastrophizing, perceived breast cancer risk, breast cancer worry, and emotional distress. Acta Oncol 2019; 58:763-768. [PMID: 30747014 PMCID: PMC6612426 DOI: 10.1080/0284186x.2019.1574023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Background: Persistent breast pain (PBP) is prevalent among breast cancer survivors and has powerful negative psychological consequences. The present study provided a first test of the hypothesis that: (a) pain catastrophizing, (b) heightened perceived risk of cancer, and (c) worry that pain indicates cancer may be independent mediating links between breast cancer survivors' experiences of PBP and heightened emotional distress. Methodology: We assessed levels of PBP and psychological factors in breast cancer survivors (Survivor Group: n = 417; Stages I-IIIA; White = 88.7%; Age M = 59.4 years) at their first surveillance mammogram post-surgery (6-15 months). A comparison group of women without histories of breast surgery or cancer (Non-cancer Group: n = 587; White = 78.7%; Age M = 57.4 years) was similarly assessed at the time of a routine screening mammogram. All women completed measures of breast pain, pain catastrophizing, perceived breast cancer risk, and worry that breast pain indicates cancer, as well as measures of emotional distress (symptoms of anxiety, symptoms of depression, and mammography-specific distress). Analyses included race, age, BMI, education, and menopausal status as covariates, with significance set at 0.05. Results: As expected, PBP prevalence was significantly higher in the Survivor Group than in the Non-cancer Group (50.6% vs. 17.5%). PBP+ survivors also had significantly higher levels of emotional distress, pain catastrophizing, mammography-specific distress, and worry that breast pain indicates cancer, compared to PBP- survivors. Structural equation modeling results were significant for all hypothesized mediational pathways. Interestingly, comparisons of PBP+ to PBP- women in the Non-cancer Group showed similar results. Conclusion: These findings suggest the importance of (a) pain catastrophizing, (b) perceived breast cancer risk and, (c) worry that breast pain may indicate cancer, as potential targets for interventions aimed at reducing the negative psychological impact of PBP in post-surgery breast cancer survivors, as well as in unaffected women with PBP due to unknown reasons.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mary S. Soo
- Duke University Medical Center, Duke University
| | | | | | | | - Gretchen M. Ahrendt
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh
- University of Colorado Hospital, University of Colorado
| | - Celette S. Skinner
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
| | - Sara N. Edmond
- Duke University Medical Center, Duke University
- VA Connecticut and the Yale School of Medicine
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22
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Boggero IA, Sturgeon JA, Arewasikporn A, Castro SA, King CD, Segerstrom SC. Associations of Pain Intensity and Frequency With Loneliness, Hostility, and Social Functioning: Cross-Sectional, Longitudinal, and Within-Person Relationships. Int J Behav Med 2019; 26:217-229. [PMID: 30809770 PMCID: PMC10585610 DOI: 10.1007/s12529-019-09776-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The current studies investigated associations between pain intensity and pain frequency with loneliness, hostility, and social functioning using cross-sectional, longitudinal, and within-person data from community-dwelling adults with varying levels of pain. METHOD Secondary analysis of preexisting data was conducted. Study 1 investigated cross-sectional (baseline data: n = 741) and longitudinal (follow-up data: n = 549, observed range between baseline and follow-up: 6-53 months) associations. Study 2 tested within-person associations using daily diaries across 30 days from a subset of the participants in Study 1 (n = 69). RESULTS Cross-sectionally, pain intensity and frequency were associated with higher loneliness (βintensity = 0.16, βfrequency = 0.17) and worse social functioning (βintensity = - 0.40, βfrequency = - 0.34). Intensity was also associated with higher hostility (β = 0.11). Longitudinally, pain intensity at baseline predicted hostility (β = 0.19) and social functioning (β = - 0.20) at follow-up, whereas pain frequency only predicted social functioning (β = - 0.21). Within people, participants reported higher hostility (γ = 0.002) and worse social functioning (γ = - 0.013) on days with higher pain, and a significant average pain by daily pain interaction was found for loneliness. Pain intensity did not predict social well-being variables on the following day. CONCLUSION Pain intensity and frequency were associated with social well-being, although the effects were dependent on the social well-being outcome and the time course being examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian A Boggero
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.
| | - John A Sturgeon
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Anne Arewasikporn
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence-West, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Saul A Castro
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Christopher D King
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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23
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Variability in negative emotions among individuals with chronic low back pain: relationships with pain and function. Pain 2019; 159:342-350. [PMID: 29140926 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Chronic pain is associated with elevated negative emotions, and resources needed to adaptively regulate these emotions can be depleted during prolonged pain. Studies of links between pain, function, and negative emotions in people with chronic pain, however, have focused almost exclusively on relationships among mean levels of these factors. Indexes that may reflect aspects of emotion regulation have typically not been analyzed. We propose that 1 index of emotion regulation is variability in emotion over time as opposed to average emotion over time. The sample was 105 people with chronic low back pain and 105 of their pain-free spouses. They completed electronic diary measures 5x/d for 14 consecutive days, producing 70 observations per person from which we derived estimates of within-subject variance in negative emotions. Location-scale models were used to simultaneously model predictors of both mean level and variance in patient negative emotions over time. Patients reported significantly more variability in negative emotions compared to their spouses. Patients who reported higher average levels of pain, pain interference, and downtime reported significantly higher levels of variability in negative emotions. Spouse-observed pain and pain behaviors were also associated with greater variability in patients' negative emotions. Test of the inverse associations between negative emotion level and variability in pain and function were significant but weaker in magnitude. These findings support the notion that chronic pain may erode negative emotion regulation resources, to the potential detriment of intra- and inter-personal function.
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25
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The impact of attachment insecurity on pain and pain behaviors in experimental pain. J Psychosom Res 2018; 111:127-132. [PMID: 29935745 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Revised: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Pain perception and pain behaviors are distinct phenomena with different functions. Pain behaviors are protective in their functions, which include eliciting empathy or caring behaviors from others. Moreover, pain behaviors are intertwined with interpersonal relationships with significant others, which is why attachment orientations have been suggested as interpersonal schemas moderating the association between pain and pain behaviors. The aim of the current study was to assess the impact of insecure attachment dimensions on pain behaviors in laboratory-induced pain. METHODS This experimental study included a sample of 60 patients with low back pain recruited from a large spine center in a hospital in Region of Southern Denmark. Patients were recorded on video during a cold pressor procedure and asked to rate their level of pain. Prior to the procedure, attachment orientations were assessed by the Revised Adult Attachment Scale. Two assessors independently coded the recorded video material for protective and communicative pain behaviors. RESULTS A positive correlation of moderate size was found between pain intensity and pain communication. As hypothesized, attachment anxiety moderated the association between pain and pain behaviors. A high level of attachment anxiety was associated with at weaker association between pain and pain behaviors. None of the attachment dimensions correlated with pain intensity or pain behaviors. CONCLUSION The results indicate that patients with high levels of attachment anxiety may downplay pain and communication thereof. This finding is of potential clinical importance, since pain communication, among others, serves the function of eliciting caring behavior from healthcare personnel.
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Contextual influences on pain communication in couples with and without a partner with chronic pain. Pain 2017; 158:1960-1970. [PMID: 28683022 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
This is an experimental study of pain communication in couples. Despite evidence that chronic pain in one partner impacts both members of the dyad, dyadic influences on pain communication have not been sufficiently examined and are typically studied based on retrospective reports. Our goal was to directly study contextual influences (ie, presence of chronic pain, gender, relationship quality, and pain catastrophizing) on self-reported and nonverbal (ie, facial expressions) pain responses. Couples with (n = 66) and without (n = 65) an individual with chronic pain (ICP) completed relationship and pain catastrophizing questionnaires. Subsequently, one partner underwent a pain task (pain target, PT), while the other partner observed (pain observer, PO). In couples with an ICP, the ICP was assigned to be the PT. Pain intensity and PO perceived pain intensity ratings were recorded at multiple intervals. Facial expressions were video recorded throughout the pain task. Pain-related facial expression was quantified using the Facial Action Coding System. The most consistent predictor of either partner's pain-related facial expression was the pain-related facial expression of the other partner. Pain targets provided higher pain ratings than POs and female PTs reported and showed more pain, regardless of chronic pain status. Gender and the interaction between gender and relationship satisfaction were predictors of pain-related facial expression among PTs, but not POs. None of the examined variables predicted self-reported pain. Results suggest that contextual variables influence pain communication in couples, with distinct influences for PTs and POs. Moreover, self-report and nonverbal responses are not displayed in a parallel manner.
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Couples coping with chronic pain: How do intercouple interactions relate to pain coping? Scand J Pain 2017; 16:150-157. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sjpain.2017.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Revised: 05/29/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Background and aims
Pain is not merely an isolated experience occurring within the person. It takes place in a wider social context, including the immediate social relationships that the person is a part of. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of how intercouple interactions might influence pain coping in couples coping with chronic pain.
Methods
Four different approaches to understanding the influence of intercouple interactions have been proposed in the literature. In this review, we present and discuss the empirical support for each of these models. A literature search on all studies published up until May 2017 (PubMed and PsycINFO) was performed. The search string consisted of 3 steps: Chronic pain AND couple interaction*/partner validation/marital interaction/chronic pain couple*/spouse response* AND coping/adjustment/disability/function/work participation/sick leave/sickness absence/work disability.
Results
The operant model views partner responses from the perspective of conditioned learning and focuses on how such responses might increase or decrease the occurrence of pain behaviour. The notion that partner responses can reinforce pain behaviour generally finds support in the literature. However, when it comes to negative partner responses results are mixed, and the model paints a limited picture of the range of interactions that takes place in a couple. The communal coping model focuses on one specific type of coping (i.e. catastrophizing), and emphasizes the interpersonal aspect of pain coping. There is some evidence that a tendency to catastrophize is related both to couple interactions and pain coping, but it has proved difficult to test this model empirically. The interpersonal process model of intimacy is concerned with patient disclosures of distress and subsequent validating and invalidating partner responses. There is some preliminary support that such mechanisms of validation and invalidation can be linked to pain coping. A dyadic approach focuses on processes where the couple negotiates a shared meaning of events and participates in mutual coping of a shared stressor. This approach has not been investigated explicitly, but preliminary support can be derived from studies conducted within other frameworks.
Conclusions
Each of the four approaches find some support in the research literature, yet none of them can explain the full range of couple interactions. We argue that the different approaches are complementary and that several of the approaches can be integrated in a dyadic understanding of pain coping.
Implications
All the models indicate that couple interactions can affect pain coping and that this should be taken into account when developing treatment programmes for chronic pain patients.
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Abstract
The purpose of the current cross-sectional study was to test the associations between individual coping responses to pain, dyadic coping, and perceived social support, with a number of pain outcomes, including pain intensity, functional disability, and pain adjustment, in a sample of N = 43 patients suffering from chronic pain in Switzerland. In contrast to previous research, we were interested not only in specific pain coping but also in more general stress coping strategies and their potential influence on pain outcomes. Analyses were performed using correlation and regression analyses. “Praying and hoping” turned out to be an independent predictor of higher pain intensity and higher anxiety levels, whereas both “coping self-instructions” and “diverting attention” were associated with higher well-being, less feelings of helplessness, and less depression and anxiety. We further found a link between “focusing on and venting emotions” and “worse pain adjustment”. No significant relationship between dyadic coping and social support with any of our pain outcomes could be observed. Overall, our results indicate that individual coping strategies outweigh the effects of social support and dyadic coping on pain-related outcomes and pain adjustment. However, results need to be interpreted with caution given the small sample size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Burri
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology; Waitemata Pain Service, Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, North Shore Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Guy Bodenmann
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J. Gatchel
- Department of Psychology; College of Science; The University of Texas at Arlington; Arlington TX USA
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Uysal A, Ascigil E, Turunc G. Spousal autonomy support, need satisfaction, and well-being in individuals with chronic pain: A longitudinal study. J Behav Med 2016; 40:281-292. [DOI: 10.1007/s10865-016-9783-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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