Forecasting Psychological Distress in Chronic Pain: The Influence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Pain Catastrophizing

Introduction: Chronic Pain (CP) is a multifaceted condition that encompasses more than just physical discomfort, intertwining with a variety of psychological factors. This study aims to explore the influence of post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Pain Catastrophizing (PC) on the prediction of Psychological Distress (PD) among patients grappling with CP.Method: This research is a descriptive and correlational study. The population of the study included patients with CP who had referred to pain and physiotherapy centers in the Tehran province in ۲۰۲۲-۲۰۲۳. A sample of ۳۹۵ individuals was selected by the convenience sampling method and then data was collected using psychological distress (DASS-۲۱), post-traumatic stress disorder (PCL-۵), and Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). Data were analyzed by SPSS-۲۴ software using Pearson correlation and multiple regression.Results: The results showed that the correlation between PD of CP with re-experiencing (r=۰.۶۶, P<۰.۰۰۱), avoidance (r=۰.۵۵, P<۰.۰۰۱), negative alterations (r=۰.۷۳, P<۰.۰۰۱), hyper-arousal (r=۰.۷۰, P<۰.۰۰۱), emotional numbness (r=۰.۷۴, P<۰.۰۰۱), rumination (r=۰.۷۰, P<۰.۰۰۱), magnification (r=۰.۶۴, P<۰.۰۰۱), and helplessness (r=۰.۷۴, P<۰.۰۰۱) was positive and significant. In addition, the results of multiple regression analysis revealed that PTSD and PC predict ۷۳% of PD.Conclusion: The current study contributes to the empirical understanding of the relationship between CP and PD and provides valuable insights for clinicians and researchers alike.

Keywords:

Chronic pain , Psychological distress , Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder , Pain Catastrophizing