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Alexithymia in adolescents with and without chronic pain.

Alexithymia refers to reduced emotional awareness and is associated with higher levels of burden and disability in adults with chronic pain. Limited research has examined alexithymia in adolescents with chronic pain. The current study aimed to (a) determine whether alexithymia was higher in adolescents with (vs. without) chronic pain and (b) examine the relationship between alexithymia and pain experiences in youth. Research Method/Design: We assessed alexithymia in 22 adolescents with chronic pain and in 22 adolescents without chronic pain (otherwise healthy), and its relation to pain experiences (i.e., self-reported pain intensity, pain bothersomeness, and pain interference), while controlling for the concomitant effects of psychological distress (i.e., depressive and anxiety symptoms).

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Body Perception Disturbance and Pain Reduction in Longstanding Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Following a Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Program.

Clinical guidelines for the treatment of complex regional pain syndrome recommend multidisciplinary rehabilitation, yet limited evidence exists to support the effectiveness of this approach. Body perception disturbance, a common and debilitating feature of complex regional pain syndrome, is recommended by guidelines as important to treat. However, no study has yet explored whether disturbances change in response to multidisciplinary rehabilitation. We aimed to determine whether there is a change in body perception disturbance and pain following a two-week multidisciplinary rehabilitation program for complex regional pain syndrome.

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Trait Sensitivity, Anxiety and Personality are predictive of Central Sensitisation Symptoms in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain.

Sensitivity-related trait characteristics involving physical and emotional sensitivities and high trait anxiety personality types have been observed in individuals with non-specific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP). High trait sensitivity to sensory stimulation combined with interpretation biases based on personality type may contribute to the development of central sensitisation (CS) symptoms. To date there is limited research that has considered both sensitivity levels and personality type in NSCLBP with CS. The purpose of this study was to investigate 1) relationships between trait sensory profiles, trait anxiety and CS symptoms, and 2) the predictive capacity of sensory profiles, trait anxiety and personality types on CS symptoms, in people with NSCLBP.

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Pain severity and prescription opioid misuse among individuals with chronic pain: The moderating role of alcohol use severity.

Chronic pain is a public health problem associated with opioid misuse. Yet, it is important to understand factors underlying opioid misuse in the context of pain. Alcohol use is one factor to consider given past work documenting use of alcohol to manage pain. However, it is unknown whether alcohol use severity exacerbates the relation between pain and opioid misuse. This study sought to examine relations between pain and prescription opioid misuse and the moderating role of alcohol use severity in two online survey studies of individuals with chronic pain.

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Interdisciplinary Pain Neuroscience Continuing Education in the Veteran’s Affairs: Live Training and Live-Stream with 1-year Follow-up.

Because of the pain and opioid epidemic in the United States, there is a need to update clinician's knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding persistent pain across healthcare disciplines. The aim of this study was to determine if healthcare professionals can positively change their knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding chronic pain, following a pain neuroscience education (PNE) lecture and one year follow-up.

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Suicidality and its risk factors in tension-type headache patients: A multicenter case-control study.

This study evaluated suicidality and its risk factors in patients with tension-type headache (TTH). We recruited new patients with TTH who visited general hospitals. We recorded their clinical characteristics and conducted the Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6) and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) for assessment. We also interviewed the patients to identify major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and suicidality with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview-Plus Version 5.0.0 (MINI). The frequency of suicidality was compared between TTH patients and healthy controls. Major risk factors for suicidality were also determined. A total of 332 TTH patients with the same number of healthy controls were recruited from five general hospitals. Suicidality was observed in 82 (24.7%) TTH patients. The frequency of suicidality was significantly higher in patients with TTH than in the controls. Furthermore, the frequency of suicidality was higher in patients with chronic TTH (CTTH) than in the controls. The major risk factors for suicidality were MDD, GAD, a low education level, insomnia, chronicity of TTH, and pericranial tenderness. Suicidal ideation or attempt seems to be a common feature in TTH. Therefore, it is important to identify risk factors related to suicidality in TTH patients, which may help reduce suicidality.

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A Distorted Body Schema and Susceptibility to Experience Anomalous Somatosensory Sensations in Fibromyalgia Syndrome.

Evidence suggests there to be an association between chronic pain and disruption of the body schema. We tested the hypothesis in fibromyalgia syndrome.

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Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture for Chronic Discogenic Sciatica, a Randomized Controlled Sham Acupuncture Trial.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for discogenic sciatica.

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A Brief Mindfulness Intervention for Medically Hospitalized Patients with Acute Pain: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial.

Mindfulness interventions may be beneficial for patients with chronic pain; however, the effects for acute pain are not understood. The purpose of this study was to pilot test a brief mindfulness intervention for acute pain and stress for patients in an inpatient medical setting.

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A Single-Session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Intervention among Women Undergoing Surgery for Breast Cancer: A Randomized Pilot Trial to Reduce Persistent Postsurgical Pain.

Oncologic breast surgeries carry a risk for persistent postsurgical pain. This study was a randomized pilot and feasibility study of a single-session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention compared to treatment as usual among women undergoing surgery for breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).

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