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Objectives: The COVID‐19 crisis is a significant stressor worldwide. The physical and emotional condition of individuals with pain sensitization syndromes who are experiencing the pandemic may worsen. This study investigated the contribution of life changes due to the coronavirus to emotional distress in individuals with a diagnosis of chronic central sensitization pain and tested whether the associations between level of pain and sensitization were independent of or mediated by emotional distress. Methods: Spanish individuals with chronic pain (N = 362) completed an online survey on direct or indirect exposure to the consequences of COVID‐19, pain intensity, and emotional distress. They also completed central sensitization questionnaires. Results: An association was found between changes in daily routines and pain intensity, emotional distress, and sensitization scores. Correlations were found between emotional distress, sensitization, and pain intensity. Significant predictors of emotional distress were age, difficulty in receiving medical care, changes in daily routines, and diminished social support. Emotional distress did not mediate the association between sensitization and pain intensity. Conclusion: Due to the COVID‐19 situation, individuals with central sensitization pain syndromes may be at higher risk of developing psychological distress. Interdisciplinary interventions involving psychologists are urgently needed to provide this population with appropriate health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic pain directly or indirectly interferes with valued personal goals. Goal adjustment plays a central role in patients' adaptation. Studies on the relationship between optimism and goal regulation have shown that people with high dispositional optimism adjust their goals in a flexible way, and that flexible goal adjustment promotes quality of life.Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship among optimism, goal adjustment, and adaptation in patients with chronic pain.Methods: A sample of 258 patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain completed questionnaires on optimism, reengagement, disengagement, flexibility, tenacity, rumination, purpose in life, well-being, pain intensity, daily functioning, and impairment.Results: Structural equation modeling analysis showed that optimism had a positive association with reengagement, flexibility, and tenacity, and a negative association with disengagement. Disengagement was positively associated with rumination, whereas reengagement, flexibility, and tenacity were associated with higher levels of purpose in life, which were strongly associated with adaptation in patients with chronic pain.Conclusions: This study supports the conclusions of previous research on the role of goal adjustment as a mediator variable between optimism and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The author comments on the study "The Role of Associative Learning and Fear in the Development of Chronic pain - A Comparison of Chronic Pain and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder" by Derrick Sueki and colleagues published in the 2014 issue. Topics discussed include the unanswered relationship between PTSD and pain, the assertion that associative learning and responses to fear are attributed to neurobiological processes, and the characteristics of PTSD.

Background: One of the most frequently used instruments to assess posttraumatic stress in children and adolescents is the Child PTSD Symptom Scale. However, there has been limited evaluation of its construct validity in the Spanish language despite Spanish being one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. Objective: To provide data on the psychometric properties of the CPSS in a sample of Spanish adolescents, to establish the internal consistency of the measure, and to examine its criterion validity. Method: The participants were 339 adolescents (172 boys and 167 girls, mean age 13.95) exposed to peer violence during the previous year. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a good fit to the four-factor dysphoria model. The alpha reliabilities for the overall measure and its subscales were suitable. Discussion: The Spanish version of the scale has sound psychometric properties with good reliability and validity. Moreover, it integrates the four-factor structure corresponding to the dimensions of PTSD described in the DSM-V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Purpose] Non-invasive and drug-free interventions for pain are being developed. One of them is ANF (which stands for "Amino Neuro Frequency") Therapy ® , which consists in the application of carbonized metal devices on a patient's skin. We aimed to: 1) test perceived changes in pain intensity after ANF application, 2) record frequency and severity of side effects, 3) assess clinician and patient satisfaction, 4) explore effects on swelling and range of motion (ROM). [Participants and Methods] In this real-world multisite observational study, N=113 physical therapists in 45 countries, applied ANF to N=1,054 patients (Mage=45.2, 56.2% female) with pain complaints. Demographic data, pain intensity (NRS-11), effects of ANF on swelling and ROM, clinician and patient satisfaction and side effects were collected. [Results] Main pain locations were: low back (14.9%), knee (12.4%), neck (10%), and shoulder (9.6%). Pre-treatment pain intensity was high (Mean=7.6, SD=1.9). It significantly decreased post-treatment (Mean=3.1, SD=2.0), t(1053)=7.25, with a large effect size (Cohen's d=2.2). Swelling decreased and ROM increased. Average satisfaction with ANF was 92/100. Patients often experienced mild side effects (42.3%): dry mouth, headache and fatigue. [Conclusion] Results show large effect sizes, high satisfaction, and mild and short-term side effects. This is very promising but should be interpreted with caution considering the study limitations., Competing Interests: RV has received scientific consulting fees from ANF Academy. IH works at ANF Academy. The rest of the authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2023©by the Society of Physical Therapy Science. Published by IPEC Inc.)

Objective: There is an ongoing debate on the use of long-term high-dose medically prescribed opioid analgesics for patients with chronic noncancer pain. Such use is elevated when there is comorbid pain and PTSD, which is quite prevalent. Therefore, it is relevant to investigate the psychological variables that may explain opioid misuse in this population. The purpose of this study was to examine the interaction effect of PTSD severity, distress intolerance, and pain catastrophizing on prescribed opioid misuse in chronic noncancer pain patients., Method: A total of 168 participants ( M age = 60 years, 74% women) were assessed regarding opioid medication, pain intensity, traumatic psychological events, PTSD, distress intolerance, pain catastrophizing, and current opioid misuse., Results: Groups were formed according to the level of PTSD severity (no symptoms, moderate symptoms, and severe symptoms). Significant differences were found between the groups in pain intensity, catastrophizing, distress intolerance, and opioid misuse. The severe-symptoms group had the highest scores on all variables. There were no between-group differences in the prescribed medication. Mediation analysis showed that the relationship between PTSD severity and opioid misuse was completely and independently mediated by distress intolerance and pain catastrophizing., Conclusions: Distress intciolerance and pain catastrophizing may be theoretically and clinically relevant constructs in understanding the motivation for opioid misuse in people with concurrent chronic noncancer pain and PTSD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Background: Despite the relevance of daily function in individuals with chronic pain, few questionnaires have been designed to assess this domain in individuals with musculoskeletal pain. In addition, the Impairment and Functioning Inventory-Revised (IFI-R) is the only instrument that assesses perceived decreases in levels of daily activity after the onset of pain., Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the English version of the IFI-R., Design: Cross-sectional study., Setting: A database of individuals with medical conditions commonly associated with chronic pain maintained by the University of Washington., Patients: A total of 470 individuals with chronic pain., Methods: Factorial validity was analyzed by conducting a confirmatory factor analysis via structural equation modeling. Internal consistency was evaluated by calculating Cronbach's α coefficients. Convergent validity was assessed by calculating Pearson correlation coefficients between the two scales of the IFI-R and the Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain Interference Scale. Criterion validity was analyzed by regression analysis via structural equation modeling., Main Outcome Measures: The English version of the IFI-R (IFI-R-EV) for individuals with chronic pain., Results: The IFI-R-EV consists of 30 items with two related subscales: The Daily Function subscale (α = .86). and the Impairment subscale (α = .89). A significant correlation was found between these subscales and a measure of pain interference (r's = - .33, and .35 respectively; p's < .01). We also found statistically significant associations (p < .05) between daily function and depression (β = -.14) and pain intensity (β = -.13), between impairment and depression (β = .14) and pain intensity (β = .16), and between daily function and pain acceptance (β = .14)., Conclusions: The findings indicate that the IFI-R-EV provides valid and reliable measures of daily function and impairment in English-speaking individuals with a disability and chronic pain. These results are consistent with those obtained with the Spanish version., (© 2021 The Authors. PM&R published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.)