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Fear of pain, pain catastrophizing, and acute pain perception: relative prediction and timing of assessment.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Hirsh, AT; George, SZ; Bialosky, JE; Robinson, ME
Published in: J Pain
September 2008

UNLABELLED: Pain-related fear and catastrophizing are important variables of consideration in an individual's pain experience. Methodological limitations of previous studies limit strong conclusions regarding these relationships. In this follow-up study, we examined the relationships between fear of pain, pain catastrophizing, and experimental pain perception. One hundred healthy volunteers completed the Fear of Pain Questionnaire (FPQ-III), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and Coping Strategies Questionnaire-Catastrophizing scale (CSQ-CAT) before undergoing the cold pressor test (CPT). The CSQ-CAT and PCS were completed again after the CPT, with participants instructed to complete these measures based on their experience during the procedure. Measures of pain threshold, tolerance, and intensity were collected and served as dependent variables in separate regression models. Sex, pain catastrophizing, and pain-related fear were included as predictor variables. Results of regression analyses indicated that after controlling for sex, pain-related fear was a consistently stronger predictor of pain in comparison to catastrophizing. These results were consistent when separate measures (CSQ-CAT vs PCS) and time points (pretask vs "in vivo") of catastrophizing were used. These findings largely corroborate those from our previous study and are suggestive of the absolute and relative importance of pain-related fear in the experimental pain experience. PERSPECTIVE: Although pain-related fear has received less attention in the experimental literature than pain catastrophizing, results of the current study are consistent with clinical reports highlighting this variable as an important aspect of the experience of pain.

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Published In

J Pain

DOI

EISSN

1528-8447

Publication Date

September 2008

Volume

9

Issue

9

Start / End Page

806 / 812

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Time Factors
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Stress, Psychological
  • Sex Factors
  • Regression Analysis
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Perception
  • Pain Threshold
  • Pain Measurement
  • Pain
 

Citation

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Hirsh, A. T., George, S. Z., Bialosky, J. E., & Robinson, M. E. (2008). Fear of pain, pain catastrophizing, and acute pain perception: relative prediction and timing of assessment. J Pain, 9(9), 806–812. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2008.03.012
Hirsh, Adam T., Steven Z. George, Joel E. Bialosky, and Michael E. Robinson. “Fear of pain, pain catastrophizing, and acute pain perception: relative prediction and timing of assessment.J Pain 9, no. 9 (September 2008): 806–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2008.03.012.
Hirsh AT, George SZ, Bialosky JE, Robinson ME. Fear of pain, pain catastrophizing, and acute pain perception: relative prediction and timing of assessment. J Pain. 2008 Sep;9(9):806–12.
Hirsh, Adam T., et al. “Fear of pain, pain catastrophizing, and acute pain perception: relative prediction and timing of assessment.J Pain, vol. 9, no. 9, Sept. 2008, pp. 806–12. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2008.03.012.
Hirsh AT, George SZ, Bialosky JE, Robinson ME. Fear of pain, pain catastrophizing, and acute pain perception: relative prediction and timing of assessment. J Pain. 2008 Sep;9(9):806–812.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Pain

DOI

EISSN

1528-8447

Publication Date

September 2008

Volume

9

Issue

9

Start / End Page

806 / 812

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Time Factors
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Stress, Psychological
  • Sex Factors
  • Regression Analysis
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Perception
  • Pain Threshold
  • Pain Measurement
  • Pain