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Lower-Order Pain-Related Constructs Are More Predictive of Cold Pressor Pain Ratings than Higher-Order Personality Traits
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Lower-Order Pain-Related Constructs Are More Predictive of Cold Pressor Pain Ratings than Higher-Order Personality Traits

Jennifer E Lee, David Watson and Laura A Frey Law
The journal of pain, Vol.11(7), pp.681-691
2010
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2009.10.013
PMCID: PMC2904871
PMID: 20356801
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2009.10.013View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Pain is a debilitating condition affecting millions each year, yet what predisposes certain individuals to be more sensitive to pain remains relatively unknown. Several psychological factors have been associated with pain perception, but the structural relations between multiple higher- and lower-order constructs and pain are not well understood. Thus, we aimed to examine the associations between pain perception using the cold pressor task (CPT), higher-order personality traits (neuroticism, negative affectivity, trait anxiety, extraversion, positive affectivity, psychoticism), and lower-order pain-related psychological constructs (pain catastrophizing [pre- and post-], fear of pain, anxiety sensitivity, somatosensory amplification, hypochondriasis) in 66 pain-free adults. Factor analysis revealed 3 latent psychological variables: pain- or body-sensitivity, negative affect/neuroticism, and positive affect/extraversion. Similarly, pain responses factored into 3 domains: intensity, quality, and tolerance. Regression and correlation analyses demonstrated that: 1) all the lower-order pain constructs (fear, catastrophizing, and hypochondriasis) are related through a single underlying latent factor that is partially related to the higher-order negative-valence personality traits; 2) pain- or body-sensitivity was more strongly predictive of pain quality than higher-order traits; and 3) the form of pain assessment is important—only qualitative pain ratings were significantly predicted by the psychological factors. Consistent with the biopsychosocial model, these results suggest multiple pain-related psychological measures likely assess a common underlying factor, which is more predictive of qualitative than intensity pain ratings. This information may be useful for the development and advancement of pain assessments and treatments while considering the multidimensional nature of pain.
 Experimental pain fear of pain pain catastrophizing somatosensory amplification anxiety sensitivity neuroticism

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