Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Bundle (312 pages)

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS OF CHRONIC PAIN

There are a number of psychological factors that can impact on the pain experience for individuals experiencing chronic pain. Some of the most common psychological factors are summarized below.

Negative cognitions and beliefs are often present for individuals with chronic pain. Unhelpful beliefs can in turn lead to negative coping strategies, irritability, and withdrawal from social activities, resulting in an increased pain experience.

Pain Cognitions

Catastophizing and assuming the worst is a common experience for individuals with pain. Catastophizing often results in increased distress, perceived increase in pain level, and failure to use positive coping strategies.

Catastophizing

Individuals with chronic pain often confuse hurt and pain, with damage and harm to the pain area or body as a whole. This can result in decreased activity and result in increase social isolation.

Hurt vs Harm

Many individuals with chronic pain experiences an increase in depressive symptoms such as low mood, hopelessness and low motivation. Often this leads to an increased experience of pain in return.

Negative Affect

Struggling to accept the diagnosed cause of pain, or finding it difficult to accept the uncertainty around the cause of pain can result in a lack of acceptance, which in turn can negatively impact mood and the experienced pain level.

Answer Seeking

Pain self-efficacy is a more adaptive and positive belief about pain. Individuals with high self-efficacy hold the belief that they have some control over their pain experience, and as such are often more likely to engage in positive coping.

Pain Self-Efficacy