The fear-avoidance model of chronic pain: assessing the role of neuroticism and negative affect in pain catastrophizing using structural equation modeling

Wing Sze WONG, Hiu Ming John LAM, Mark P. JENSEN, Phoon Ping CHEN, Yu Fat CHOW, Steven WONG, Huey Sing LIM, Richard FIELDING

Research output: Contribution to conferencePapers

Abstract

-Objectives: Previous research on the Fear-Avoidance Model (FAM) of chronic pain suggested the personality traits neuroticism and negative affect (NA) influenced pain catastrophizing. However, their corroborating influence on pain catastrophizing remains unclear. This study examined four possible models of relationships between neuroticism and NA in pain catastrophizing within the FAM framework using structural equation modeling. -Methods: A total of 401 patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain completed measures of neuroticism, NA, three core FAM components (pain catastrophizing, pain-related fear, and pain anxiety), and adjustment outcomes (pain-related disability and depression). -Results: Regression analyses refuted the possibility that neuroticism and NA moderated each other's effect on pain catastrophic thoughts (p>0.05). Results of SEM evidenced superior data-model fit for the collapse models in which neuroticism and NA were two secondary traits underlying a latent construct, negative emotion (Disability: CFI=0.93; Depression: CFI=0.91). –Conclusion: The results offer preliminary evidence that patients presented with more neurotic symptom and heightened NA probably elicit more catastrophic thoughts about pain.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - May 2014
Event7th World Congress of the World Institute of Pain - Maastricht, Netherlands
Duration: 07 May 201410 May 2014

Conference

Conference7th World Congress of the World Institute of Pain
Abbreviated titleWIP 2014
Country/TerritoryNetherlands
CityMaastricht
Period07/05/1410/05/14

Citation

Wong, W., Lam, J., Jensen, M., Chen, P., Chow, Y., Wong, S., et al. (2014, May). The fear-avoidance model of chronic pain: assessing the role of neuroticism and negative affect in pain catastrophizing using structural equation modeling. Paper presented at the 7th World Congress World Institute of Pain (WIP 2014), Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands.

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