The DOI matches its Crossref record; 125 of the 125 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Theoretical Perspectives on the Relation Between Catastrophizing and Pain
Abstract
The tendency to "catastrophize" during painful stimulation contributes to more intense pain experience and increased emotional distress. Catastrophizing has been broadly conceived as an exaggerated negative "mental set" brought to bear during painful experiences. Although findings have been consistent in showing a relation between catastrophizing and pain, research in this area has proceeded in the relative absence of a guiding theoretical framework. This article reviews the literature on the relation between catastrophizing and pain and examines the relative strengths and limitations of different theoretical models that could be advanced to account for the pattern of available findings. The article evaluates the explanatory power of a schema activation model, an appraisal model, an attention model, and a communal coping model of pain perception. It is suggested that catastrophizing might best be viewed from the perspective of hierarchical levels of analysis, where social factors and social goals may play a role in the development and maintenance of catastrophizing, whereas appraisal-related processes may point to the mechanisms that link catastrophizing to pain experience. Directions for future research are suggested.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“increased use of healthcare services and longer hospital stays [15,16]”
From Effectiveness of cognitive behaviour therapy for the treatment of catastrophisation in patients with fibromyalgia: A randomised controlled trial (2011) · cites this paper as [16]
In the citing paper
“Pain catastrophizing, the tendency to focus on pain and negatively evaluate one's ability to deal with pain, has emerged as one of the most important predictors of pain, accounting for 7% to 31% of the variance in pain ratings.27,119”
From Psychological aspects of persistent pain: Current state of the science (2004) · cites this paper as [119]
In the citing paper
“These findings fit with a communal model of catastrophizing that maintains that catastrophizing represents an interpersonal form of coping whose aim is to maintain proximity to and support from others.119”
From Psychological aspects of persistent pain: Current state of the science (2004) · cites this paper as [119]
In the citing paper
“Pain-related catastrophizing has been defined as a negative mental set activated by actual or anticipated pain, and is associated with heightened pain intensity, emotional distress, disability and pain-related behaviour (Sullivan et al., Citation2001).”
From The association between pain-related factors and psychological distress in patients with temporomandibular disorder. (2023) · cites this paper as Sullivan et al., 2001
In the citing paper
“Generalized positive outcome expectancy, or dispositional optimism 348–350, is related to increased feelings of control, the use of more active coping strategies, and better functional performance 91, 351–353.”
From Evaluating psychosocial contributions to chronic pain outcomes (2018) · cites this paper as [351]
In the citing paper
“For example, some forms of clinical pain may be caused by enhanced aversive valuation of pain, rather than resulting from dysregulation of nociceptive brain processes (e.g., [92],[93]).”
From Distinct Brain Systems Mediate the Effects of Nociceptive Input and Self-Regulation on Pain (2015) · cites this paper as [92]
In the citing paper
“The PCS total score can range from 0 to 52 and has been shown to have excellent reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.87; Sullivan et al., 2001).”
From Effects of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on body awareness in patients with chronic pain and comorbid depression (2016) · cites this paper as Sullivan et al., 2001
Citations
Cites
“Stress: appraisal and coping,”
Folkman, S. (2013) · Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_215 · Cited by 27,833
Pain mechanisms: a new theory.
Melzack, R., & Wall, P. D. (1965) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.150.3699.971 · Cited by 11,108
The Pain Catastrophizing Scale: Development and validation.
Sullivan, M. J. L., Bishop, S. R., & Pivik, J. (1995) · Psychological Assessment · doi:10.1037//1040-3590.7.4.524 · Cited by 8,227
Self-citationPearlin, L. I., & Schooler, C. (1978) · Journal of Health and Social Behavior · doi:10.2307/2136319 · Cited by 7,791 · cited 1×
“Coping model Coping generally refers to the strategies that individuals use to minimize the impact of life stressors on their psychological well-being.(78,96) There has been some debate regarding the conceptualization of catastrophizing as a coping strategy.”
Background(1975) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 7,245
Depression: Causes and treatment
Beck, A. T. (1973) · Behavior Therapy · doi:10.1016/s0005-7894(73)80054-1 · Cited by 3,163
Attentional bias in emotional disorders
MacLeod, C., Mathews, A., & Tata, P. (1986) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037/0021-843x.95.1.15 · Cited by 3,152
Melzack, R., & Wall, P. D. (1996) · Pain Forum · doi:10.1016/s1082-3174(96)80062-6 · Cited by 2,786
Attentional bias in emotional disorders.
MacLeod, C., Mathews, A., & Tata, P. R. (1986) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037//0021-843x.95.1.15 · Cited by 2,553
Fear of movement/(re)injury in chronic low back pain and its relation to behavioral performance
Vlaeyen, J. W. S., Kole-Snijders, A. M. J., Boeren, R. G. B., & van Eek, H. (1995) · Pain · doi:10.1016/0304-3959(94)00279-n · Cited by 2,446
Research works printed but not linked: 14
- Sullivan, 1995, Psychol Assess, 7, 524, 10.1037/1040-3590.7.4.524 · DOI · Paper page
- Sullivan, 1990, sychol, 99, 260
- Sullivan, 1998, Comm Dent Oral Epidemiol, 37, 243
- Sullivan, 2000, es, 24, 121
- Nicassio, 1995, J Rheumatol, 22, 1552
- 1981, WHO Technical Reports Series, 68B, 6
- Whitehead, 1994, ed, 56, 541
- Spanos, 1981, J Ment Imagery, 5, 75
- Affleck, 1992, J Consult Clin Psychol, 60, 119, 10.1037/0022-006X.60.1.119 · DOI
- Mathews, 1991, J Abnorm Psychol, 99, 163
- Crombez, 1997, Pain, 74, 230
- Coyne, 2000, Am Psychol, 55, 655, 10.1037/0003-066X.55.6.655 · DOI
- Coyne, 1991, J Pers Soc Psychol, 61, 404, 10.1037/0022-3514.61.3.404 · DOI
- Wood, 1986, J Person Soc Psychol, 50, 341, 10.1037/0022-3514.50.2.341 · DOI
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 1,001–1,022 of 1,022
Pain catastrophizing: an historical perspective
Neblett, R. (2017) · Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research · doi:10.1111/jabr.12086 · Cited by 21
Reme, S. E., Munk, A., Holter, M. T. S., Falk, R. S., & Jacobsen, H. B. (2022) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0268606 · Cited by 23
“The scale assesses elements of rumination, magnification, and helplessness in response to pain [82].”
Behavioral inhibition, maladaptive pain cognitions, and function in patients with chronic pain
Jensen, M. P., Solé, E., Castarlenas, E., Racine, M., Roy, R., Miró, J., & Cane, D. (2017) · Scandinavian Journal of Pain · doi:10.1016/j.sjpain.2017.07.002 · Cited by 19
Psychosocial factors and adjustment to pain in individuals with postpolio syndrome
Hirsh, A. T., Kupper, A. E., Carter, G. T., & Jensen, M. P. (2010) · American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation · doi:10.1097/phm.0b013e3181c9f9a1 · Cited by 18
Rognsvåg, T., Lindberg, M. F., Lerdal, A., Stubberud, J., Furnes, O., Holm, I., Indrekvam, K., Lau, B., Rudsengen, D., Skou, S. T., et al. (2021) · BMC Health Services Research · doi:10.1186/s12913-021-07177-7 · Cited by 18
Effectiveness of a Positive Writing Intervention for Chronic Pain: A Randomized Trial
Ziemer, K. S., Fuhrmann, A., & Hoffman, M. A. (2015) · MYOPAIN · doi:10.1080/24708593.2017.1307893 · Cited by 17
Jamison, R. N., Xu, X., Wan, L., Edwards, R. R., & Ross, E. L. (2019) · The Journal of Pain · doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2018.09.005 · Cited by 16
Licciardone, J. C., Schmitt, M. E., & Aryal, S. (2019) · Journal of Osteopathic Medicine · doi:10.7556/jaoa.2019.092 · Cited by 16
Wong, W.-S., McCracken, L., Wong, S., Chen, P.-P., Chow, Y.-F., & Fielding, R. (2016) · Psychological Assessment · doi:10.1037/pas0000187 · Cited by 14
Baranoff, J., Hanrahan, S. J., Kapur, D., & Connor, J. P. (2014) · Journal of Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1007/s10865-013-9502-0 · Cited by 13
Evaluation of the Empower Veterans Program for Military Veterans With Chronic Pain
Uche (2022) · Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management · doi:10.12788/jcom.0089 · Cited by 8
Verhaltenstherapeutische Konzepte in der Therapie chronischer Schmerzen
Kaiser, U., & Nilges, P. (2015) · Der Schmerz · doi:10.1007/s00482-014-1489-0 · Cited by 12
An adaptive role for negative expected pain in patients with neuropathic pain
Bostick, G. P., Toth, C., Dick, B. D., Carr, E. C. J., Stitt, L. W., & Moulin, D. E. (2015) · The Clinical Journal of Pain · doi:10.1097/ajp.0000000000000135 · Cited by 11
Pain and Culture: The Catastrophizing Construct and Measurement
Flaskerud, J. H. (2015) · Issues in Mental Health Nursing · doi:10.3109/01612840.2014.941078 · Cited by 11
Anker, E. A., Sande, T., Arefjord, K., Hystad, S. W., & Rosén, A. (2023) · Psychology, Health & Medicine · doi:10.1080/13548506.2022.2121969 · Cited by 8
“Factor analyses of the Coping Strategy Questionnaire (Rosenstiel & Keefe, 1983), found an overlap between subscales of anxiety, depression and catastrophizing (Sullivan et al., 2001).”
BackgroundMethodIntervenciones Basadas en Mindfulness y Compasión en Dolor Crónico
Muñoz-Sanjosé, A., Palao Tarrero, Á., Torrijos Zarcero, M., María Del Río, M. D. R., & Rodríguez Vega, B. (2019) · Revista de Investigación y Educación en Ciencias de la Salud (RIECS) · doi:10.37536/riecs.2019.4.s1.130 · Cited by 6
Bryson, W. J., Read, J. B., Bush, J. P., & Edwards, C. L. (2014) · Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy · doi:10.1007/s10942-014-0194-3 · Cited by 5
Sullivan, M. J. L., Wideman, T. H., Gauthier, N., Thibault, P., Ellis, T., & Adams, H. (2022) · Pilot and Feasibility Studies · doi:10.1186/s40814-022-01040-0 · Cited by 5
Self-citationBuskbjerg, C., O'Toole, M. S., Zachariae, R., Jensen, A. B., Frederiksen, Y., Johansen, C., von Heymann, A., Speckens, A., & Johannsen, M. (2023) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2022-066505 · Cited by 4
ACT with Pain : measurement, efficacy and mechanisms of Acceptance & Commitment Therapy
Trompetter, H. (2014) · doi:10.3990/1.9789036537087 · Cited by 4
(2007) · PubMed · Cited by 53
(2005) · PubMed · Cited by 31
Metadata
- Authors
- Sullivan, M. J. L., Thorn, B., Haythornthwaite, J. A., Keefe, F., Martin, M., Bradley, L. A., & Lefebvre, J. C.
- Affiliations
- Dalhousie University (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Sullivan, Michael J. L.
- ORCID
- Venue
- The Clinical Journal of Pain
- Published
- 2001-03
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 52-64
- ISSN
- 0749-8047 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2099493839
- Cited by
- 2,472
- References
- 121
- Citations by year
- 2026: 79 · 2025: 98 · 2024: 113 · 2023: 115 · 2022: 112 · 2021: 127 · 2020: 141 · 2019: 134 · 2018: 123 · 2017: 117 · 2016: 129 · 2015: 124 · 2014: 112 · 2013: 140 · 2012: 117
- FWCI
- 4.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Clinical Journal of Pain (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Pediatric Pain Management Techniques
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Pain Management and Placebo Effect
- Keywords
- pain catastrophizing, pain perception, evaluation model, attention-based models, emotional distress, social factors in pain, levels of analysis
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Attention, Persons with Disabilities, Humans, Models, Psychological, Pain, Sex Characteristics, Stress, Psychological
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
