Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2025

Investigating Pain-Related Avoidance Behavior using a Robotic Arm-Reaching Paradigm
Published on: October 3, 2020
Experiential Avoidance as a Factor in Generalized Psychological Vulnerability: In the Relationship Between Chronic
Razieh Pak1, Majid Mahmoud Alilou2, Abass Bakhshipour Roudsari2
1Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
Background:
Pain is a major socio-psychological problem worldwide. Chronic pain has a negative effect on areas of psychological functioning such as depression, anxiety, and perceived stress.
Aim:
The present study investigated the mediating role of experiential avoidance in the relationship between chronic pain and pain anxiety with pain disability.
Methods:
Participants were treatment-seeking patients (N = 361) at an outpatient pain clinic in Shiraz (Fars, Iran). The Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI), Pain Anxiety Symptom Scale (PASS-20), Pain Disability Questionnaire (PDQ), and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II) were used to measure multidimensional pain, anxiety, pain disability, experiential avoidance, and pain severity.
Results:
The results of the correlation revealed that a significant relationship exists between multidimensional pain and pain anxiety, pain disability, and experiential avoidance. Experiential avoidance mediated the associations from multidimensional pain and pain disability significantly. Also, experiential avoidance moderated associations between pain anxiety and pain disability significantly. In general, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) showed that experiential avoidance mediated the relationship between multidimensional pain and pain anxiety with pain disability.
Conclusion:
In general, the results revealed that experiential avoidance can mediate the relationship among pain, pain anxiety, and pain disability as a maladaptive regulation strategy. The results obtained from this study seem to introduce experiential avoidance as a vulnerability factor effectively.
Related Concept Videos
Avoidance Learning and Learned Helplessness
Avoidance learning occurs when an organism learns that a specific behavior can prevent an unpleasant outcome. For example, a student who receives a bad grade may start studying harder to avoid future poor grades. This behavior persists even when the negative outcome is no longer present. Avoidance learning is powerful because it maintains behavior in the absence of the...
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Preparedness and Phobias
Frustration and Conflict: Avoidance-Avoidance, Double-Approach Avoidance
Primary Motives: Sleep, Sex, and Pain Avoidance
Sleep is a fundamental physiological drive that fosters a state of restfulness crucial for several bodily functions. It facilitates body restoration, the process by which the body repairs, rejuvenates, and maintains itself during sleep, including memory...
Social Anxiety Disorder

