Differentiating state versus trait pain catastrophizing

This study investigated the type and recency of the pain experience recalled (i.e., pain referent) by a healthy group and a chronic/recurrent pain group when they responded to the trait version of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). We also aimed to disentangle the influence of trait personality factors and state oriented pain-related cognitive processes on PCS scores. Research Method/Design: A cross-sectional online survey was administered. Participants who reported chronic/recurrent pain comprised the pain group (N = 153) and those not reporting a pain condition comprised the healthy group (N = 120).

A sensory pain referent, as opposed to an emotional pain referent, was reported by 92% of the healthy group and 95% of the pain group; however, the PCS pain referent in the pain group was different from their self-reported type of chronic/recurrent pain in 55% of cases. In the healthy group, 86% of participants reported PCS pain referents that occurred > 24 hr ago; 51% of participants in the pain group reported using pain referents occurring < 24 hr ago. Neuroticism and conscientiousness significantly predicted PCS scores in the healthy group. Within the pain group, both neuroticism and the state-oriented measure of rumination/absorption significantly predicted PCS scores, with rumination/absorption evidencing the largest effect size.

These findings suggest individuals with and without chronic/recurrent pain focus on a sensory pain referent when answering the PCS. The results have implications for refining the PCS instructions and for improving the sensitivity of this measure in capturing variance in pain-related outcomes, particularly when administered in homogenous pain type (e.g., migraine) populations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).