Can psychological inflexibility predict physical observation of pain signs in patients with chronic pain?

Abstract

Psychological inflexibility (including avoidance of thoughts and sensations concomitant with pain) has been recognized as a major contributing component to suffering associated with chronic pain conditions. The present study aimed to examine psychological inflexibility as a predictor of physical observations of pain signs among patients with chronic pain. A new tool of pain assessment completed by health care providers when interviewing chronic pain patients about their condition was utilized to assess observed pain signs. Findings compare observed pain signs to self-reported pain symptoms of chronic pain patients. Then, it examines whether psychological inflexibility assessed via the chronic pain acceptance questionnaire (CPAQ) can predict the observed pain signs recorded by health providers. Results will be discussed in regards to the utility of psychological flexibility as a predictor of both observed and subjective pain reports.