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Psychological flexibility may reduce insomnia in persons with chronic pain: a preliminary retrospective study
Lance M McCracken1, Jennifer L Williams, Nicole K Y Tang
1Centre for Pain Services, Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases & Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, Bath, UK. lance.mccracken@rnhrd.nhs.uk
Objective:
Sleep disturbance is a common complaint in people with chronic pain, and is associated with a range of adverse outcomes including reports of greater pain and disability. Research into insomnia with chronic pain sufferers has not yet examined the role of psychological flexibility, a process from acceptance and commitment therapy. We examined this role.
Design:
Participants in this study were 159 adult patients attending an assessment at a specialist pain center. They were mostly women, 63%, and the mean age was 43.8 years.
Results:
In preliminary analyses 79% of participants met the criteria for significant insomnia based on their self-reported symptoms. As predicted, significant positive correlations were found between components of psychological flexibility, particularly acceptance of pain and values-based action, and all measures of sleep quality. In regression analyses, the components of psychological flexibility considered together accounted for between 11% and 19% of variance across a range of measures of sleep quality.
Conclusion:
These results suggest the need to further develop treatment services for people with chronic pain and insomnia.
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