The Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Chronic Pain in People Seeking Treatment for Chronic Pain: The Mediating Role of Psychological Flexibility

This study examines the relationship between PTSD and chronic pain and whether indices of Psychological Flexibility mediate the relationship between these 2 conditions. Materials and Methods: Standardized self-report measures of PTSD, pain severity, pain interference, depression, and psychological flexibility (pain-related acceptance, committed action, cognitive fusion, and values-based action) were obtained from 315 people seeking treatment for chronic pain who also reported at least 1 traumatic experience. Results: People seeking treatment for chronic pain and reporting symptoms consistent with a current diagnosis of PTSD had significantly higher levels of pain severity, pain interference, depression, and cognitive fusion and lower levels of pain-related acceptance and committed action than those reporting symptoms below the diagnostic threshold for PTSD. Pain-related acceptance, committed action, cognitive fusion, and depression mediated the relationship between PTSD and pain severity/interference, with pain-related acceptance being the strongest mediator from the Psychological Flexibility model. Discussion: Processes from the Psychological Flexibility model were identified as mediators of the relationship between PTSD and chronic pain in people seeking treatment for chronic pain. The Psychological Flexibility model may be useful as an overarching model to help understand the relationship between PTSD and chronic pain. It is possible that targeting pain-related ac...
Source: The Clinical Journal of Pain - Category: Anesthesiology Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research