Psychology

Chronic pain outcomes are traditionally defined in terms of ability and . A definition of adaptive functioning in the context of chronic pain beyond the mere absence of negative outcomes, is the ability to (i.e., experience emotional, psychological and social ; Keyes, 2002). We explored in two chronic pain samples the prevalence and sociodemographic, physical and psychological correlates of flourishing, and complemented this exploration with a similar examination of to help contextualize findings. Sample 1 ( = 1498) was a nationally representative sample. Subgroups included people with regular joint pain (1), regular joint pain and rheumatoid arthritis (2) and without chronic pain (3). Using chi-square tests we calculated the prevalence of both mental health outcomes and examined if people with or without chronic pain were more/less likely to flourish/at risk for psychopathology. Sample 2 ( = 238) concerned baseline data of a Randomized Controlled Trial on the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for chronic pain (Trompetter et al., 2015b). We performed logistic regression analysis to identify flourishers/those at risk for depression. The Mental Health Continuum-Short Form was used to measure flourishing. The prevalence of flourishing was 34% (recurrent joint pain) and 38% (recurrent joint pain and arthritis) in sample 1, and 23% in sample 2. Compared to those without chronic pain, people with chronic pain were as likely to flourish, but more likely to be at risk for psychopathology. In sample 2, both flourishing and being at risk for depression were related foremost to correlates. While engaged living was the most important correlate of flourishing, pain catastrophizing and psychological inflexibility were most important correlates of being at risk for depression. In conclusion, people with chronic pain to flourish. Findings suggest that positive and negative chronic pain outcomes function on two different continua, with potentially unique protective and risk factors. The Psychological Flexibility model provides pathways to explain both poor and optimal functioning in the presence of chronic pain. A better understanding of people with chronic pain who are able to flourish can be a fruitful endeavor to improve chronic pain models and interventions.

Musculoskeletal pain conditions incur high costs and produce significant personal and public health consequences, including disability and opioid-related mortality. Persistence of high-cost health care utilization for musculoskeletal pain may help identify system inefficiencies that could limit value of care. The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with persistent high-cost utilization among individuals seeking health care for musculoskeletal pain.

The experience of chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) is one of the most common reasons individuals seek medical attention. Patients with CNCP frequently experience concomitant sleep-related problems.

Previous studies of prognosis for women with Fibromyalgia (FM) or chronic widespread pain (CWP) show contradictory results. However, some women appear to improve in pain and other core symptoms over time. There is limited knowledge about predictors of substantial improvement in pain intensity over a longer period of time. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the natural course of pain intensity and distribution of pain over 10 to 12 years in a cohort of 166 women with FM or CWP. Secondarily we wanted to investigate predictors of substantial improvement (50%) in pain intensity after 10 to 12 years.

This study evaluates the reporting quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on acupuncture use for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia and explores related factors.

Exercise can be used as a treatment for depressive symptoms in the general population. However, little is known as to whether exercise has mental health benefits for adults experiencing chronic low back pain (CLBP). The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of two intervention protocols commonly used in clinical practice for treating chronic low back pain, but with differing exercise dose, on depressive symptoms.

Frequencies of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from pain related candidate genes are available for individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD). One of those genes, the arginine vasopressin receptor 1A gene (AVPR1A) and one of its SNPs, rs10877969, has been associated with pain and disability in other pain populations. In patients with SCD, clinical factors such as pain and stress have been associated with increased health care utilization, but it is not known if the presence of the AVPR1A SNP plays a role in this observation. The study purpose was to explore the relationships between rs10877969 and self-reported pain, stress, and acute care utilization events among individuals with SCD.