The Associations Between Pain-related Beliefs, Pain Intensity, and Patient Functioning

Abstract

Objectives Based on the idea that thoughts held about pain may represent “self-suggestions” and evidence indicating that people with higher levels of trait hypnotizability are more responsive to suggestions, the current study evaluated hypothesized moderating effects of hypnotizability on the associations between pain-related thoughts and both pain intensity and pain interference. Methods Eighty-five individuals with chronic pain were given measures of hypnotizability, pain intensity, pain interference, and pain-related thoughts (control beliefs, catastrophizing). Results Analyses supported a moderating role of hypnotizability on the association between control beliefs and pain interference. Specifically, the negative association between pain control beliefs and pain interference were stronger among those with higher trait hypnotizability than between those with lower trait hypnotizability. Discussion The study findings, if replicated in additional samples of individuals with chronic pain, have important clinical and theoretical implications. For example, if trait hypnotizability is found to predict an individual’s response to a particular technique of cognitive therapy – such as focusing on and repeating pain control belief self-statements – measures of hypnotizability could be used to identify individuals who might be most responsive to this technique. The current findings indicate that research to further examine this possibility is warranted.

Association of preoperative pain beliefs with postoperative pain levels in abdominal surgery patients

“…Since pain is recognised as a multidimensional concept that includes not only physiological but also psychological and social factors, the number of studies on the psychological and social factors affecting the experience of pain has increased over time (Jensen et al, 2016;Pons et al, 2012;Ursavaş & Yaradılmış, 2020;Wang et al, 2018). The study by Jensen et al, (2016) on patients with chronic pain found a negative relationship between pain beliefs and pain interference, which has been shown to increase hypnotisability to achieve pain control in patients. In a study of patients with arthritis, Pons et al, (2012) found a significant relationship between physical activity and pain experience on the one hand, and organic beliefs and functionality on the other hand.…”

“…In particular, previous pain experience, personality traits and preoperative beliefs and behaviours about pain and surgery may influence postoperative pain (Pons et al, 2012;Wang et al, 2018). Therefore, the literature has highlighted the importance of pain beliefs for pain management (Jensen et al, 2016;Pons et al, 2012;Thompson et al, 2016;Ursavaş & Yaradılmış, 2020).…”

“…While organic beliefs are related to acute pain, psychological beliefs are mostly related to chronic and long-term pain, feelings of desperation and psychological symptoms (Pons et al, 2012;Yıldızeli Topcu, 2018). These beliefs about pain influence the actual experience of pain, functionality, ability to cope with pain, attitudes towards pain, and the treatment process and adherence (Jensen et al, 2016;Pons et al, 2012;Thompson et al, 2016;Ursavaş & Yaradılmış, 2020).…”

Visuospatial imagery in healthy individuals with different hypnotizability levels

“…Higher scores of accuracy in mental rotation have been observed in highs with respect to mediums whereas the lows' score was intermediate between highs' and mediums' and not significantly different from any of them. This finding highlights the fact that not all the characteristics modulated by hypnotizability are linerarly correlated with it, in contrast to variables such as the responsiveness to suggestions for analgesia in chronic pain patients [36], to suggestions of analgesia and to conditioned analgesia in healthy subjects receiving nociceptive stimulation [37] and to the sensitivity of opioid μ1 receptors [38].…”

Construct Validity and Internal Consistency of the Catalan Version of the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire in Young People With Chronic Pain

“…Chronic pain is best understood and treated from a biopsychosocial perspective, which hypothesizes that a person's experience of pain and its impact are influenced by physiological, psychological, and social factors (Gatchel, Peng, Peters, Fuchs, & Turk, 2007). Pain-related cognitions-that is, an individual's beliefs about pain-are among the psychological factors that are known to have a significant influence on how individuals cope with and adjust to pain and how, in turn, this affects their quality of life (Geisser, Robinson, & Riley, 1999;Jensen et al, 2016;Miró , Huguet, & Jensen, 2014;Turner, Jensen, & Romano, 2000).…”