The relation between pain beliefs, negative thoughts, and psychosocial functioning in chronic pain patients

Abstract

Cognitions and beliefs appear important in predicting adjustment to chronic pain. The current study examines how cognitions and beliefs are related to psychosocial functioning. One hundred and sixty-three chronic pain out-patients were assessed. Regression analyses were performed using scores on the Pain Beliefs and Perceptions Inventory and the Inventory of Negative Thoughts in Response to Pain as predictor variables and responses to the West Haven Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory as criterion variables. Pain cognitions and pain beliefs were correlated. After controlling for demographics, employment status and pain severity, pain beliefs and cognitions accounted for a significant amount of the variance in general activity, pain interference, and affective distress. Negative cognitions, particularly negative self-statements, were more predictive of outcome than pain beliefs. Although these data are correlational, they provide additional support for a biopsychosocial model of adjustment to chronic pain.

There’s More Than Catastrophizing in Chronic Pain: Low Frustration Tolerance and Self-Downing Also Predict Mental Health in Chronic Pain Patients

“…Selfdowning was the only GABS-SV scale to be significantly correlated with physical health components (i.e., Physical Functioning and Role Physical). A relationship between self-downing and physical health outcomes is consistent with previous findings relating this variable to lower activity engagement (Stroud et al, 2000). One possible explanation for the relation between self-downing and physical health is that physical limitations lead to a global devaluation of the individual (i.e., ''I am a useless person if I cannot achieve my goals'').…”

“…It has also been associated with worse outcomes, such as severity of depression, in clinical studies (Luyten et al, 2011). In addition, this tendency to be excessively critical and to make global negative evaluations of oneself (e.g., ''I am useless if I have difficulties;' ' Bridges, 2010) has been shown to have a greater association with distress, pain interference, and activity level than do traditional painrelated beliefs, such as the belief that pain is permanent or the belief that one is to blame for one's pain (Stroud, Thorn, Jensen, & Boothby, 2000).…”

Beliefs about the use of baby walkers

“…Beliefs are accepted by faith and, if confirmed by experience, become knowledge 3 . Beliefs are ideas about the nature of reality that shape our perceptions 4 . Several authors have sought to understand the beliefs and myths that guide parent-child interactions and relationships 2,[5][6][7][8][9][10][11] .…”

The Pain Distress Inventory: Development and initial psychometric properties

“…A significant correlation (r ϭ .54) was found between the total INTRP score and SCL-90-R, suggesting evidence for convergent validity (Osman et al, 1993). In other studies, scores on the INTRP have been correlated significantly with convergent measures of affective distress such as self-blame (r ϭ .20) and belief about pain permanence (r ϭ .18) in clinic samples (Stroud, Thorn, Jensen, & Boothby, 2000). The alpha estimate for this sample was .94.…”