Cited by 334Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitationSpinal Cord Injury ResearchPain Management and Treatment

Catastrophizing is associated with pain intensity, psychological distress, and pain-related disability among individuals with chronic pain after spinal cord injury

Turner, Judith A., Jensen, Mark P., Warms, Catherine A., Cardenas, Diana D.·2002·Pain

Abstract

Little research has examined the role of patient cognitive and behavioral responses, including catastrophizing, in adjustment to chronic pain associated with spinal cord injury (SCI). The objective of this study was to examine the associations of catastrophizing and specific pain coping strategies with pain intensity, psychological distress, and pain-related disability among individuals with chronic pain and SCI, after controlling for important demographic and SCI-related variables that might affect outcomes. Participants in this study were 174 community residents with SCI and chronic pain who completed a mailed questionnaire that included the SF-36 Mental Health scale, Coping Strategies Questionnaire, and Graded Chronic Pain Scale. The pain coping and catastrophizing measures explained an additional 29% of the variance in pain intensity after adjusting for the demographic and SCI variables (P<0.001). The coping and catastrophizing scales accounted for an additional 30% of the variance in psychological distress (P<0.001) and 11% of the variance in pain-related disability (P<0.001), after controlling for pain intensity and demographic and SCI variables. Catastrophizing, but not any other single pain coping strategy, was consistently strongly and independently associated with the outcome measures. Potentially, the assessment and treatment of catastrophizing may reduce psychological distress and pain-related disability among individuals with chronic pain and SCI.

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Crossref · 10.1016/s0304-3959(02)00045-3

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  • Catastrophizing beliefs intensify perceived pain intensity, pain-related disability and psychological distress.

    “Catastrophizing beliefs have been shown to intensify the perceived pain intensity, pain-related disability and psychological distress [23,24], thus being an important mechanism of change in psychological therapies [25].”
  • In a community sample of 174 individuals with pain caused by spinal cord injury, individuals who engaged in higher levels of pain catastrophizing had significantly higher levels of pain-related disability.

    “Data analyses showed that individuals who engaged in higher levels of pain catastrophizing had significantly higher levels of psychological distress and pain-related disability.”
  • In a community sample of 174 individuals with pain caused by spinal cord injury, individuals who engaged in higher levels of pain catastrophizing had significantly higher levels of psychological distress.

    “Data analyses showed that individuals who engaged in higher levels of pain catastrophizing had significantly higher levels of psychological distress and pain-related disability.”
  • Taken together, findings suggest that catastrophizing is important in understanding pain, not only in samples of patients seen in medical settings but also in samples of individuals recruited from the general community.

    “Taken together, the findings of these studies suggest that catastrophizing is important in understanding pain, not only in samples of patients seen in medical settings but also in samples of individuals recruited from the general community.104,135”

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Authors
Turner, J. A., Jensen, M. P., Warms, C. A., & Cardenas, D. D.
Affiliations
University of Washington (US)
Corresponding author
Turner, Judith A.
Venue
Pain
Published
2002-07
Volume
98
Issue
1
Pages
127-134
ISSN
0304-3959 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2082192971
Cited by
333
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 12
FWCI
5.25
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Pain (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (1P01 HD/NS33988)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Spinal Cord Injury Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine › Pain Management and Treatment
Keywords
catastrophizing, chronic pain, spinal cord injury, pain coping, pain intensity, psychological distress, pain-related disability
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Aged, Mental Disorders, Chronic Disease, Female, Persons with Disabilities, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pain, Pain Measurement, Severity of Illness Index, Spinal Cord Injuries

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