A slow diaphragmatic breathing intervention for anxiety: How do respiration rate and inhalation/exhalation ratio influence self-reported anxiety?

The primary aim was to investigate how respiration rate and inhalation/exhalation ratio influence self-reported state anxiety during a single slow diaphragmatic breathing exercise session. Eight hundred and twenty-eight participants completed the study at two separate geographical locations (Poland and Spain). Participants performed a 10-min online guided breathing exercise.

Vulnerability Factors, Adjustment, and Opioid Misuse in Chronic Noncancer Pain Individuals.

Several person variables predate injury or pain onset that increase the probability of maladjustment to pain and opioid misuse. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of 2 diathesis variables (impulsiveness and anxiety sensitivity [AS]) in the adjustment of individuals with chronic noncancer pain and opioid misuse. The sample comprised 187 individuals with chronic noncancer pain.

Measuring Pain-related Behavioral Inhibition and Behavioral Activation System Responses: Further Validity Evidence for the Pain Responses Scale.

Objectives: The Pain Responses Scale and its Short Form (PRS-SF) were recently developed to assess the affective, behavioral, and cognitive responses to pain based on the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and behavioral activation system (BAS) model of chronic pain. The purpose of this study was to provide additional tests of the psychometric properties of the PRS-SF in a new sample of individuals with chronic pain.

Methods: A sample of Spanish adults (N = 190) with chronic non-cancer pain completed a translated version of the PRS-SF and a battery of questionnaires measuring validity criteria hypothesized the be associated with BIS and BAS activation, including measures of sensitivity to punishment, sensitivity to reward, pain intensity, pain interference, catastrophizing, and pain acceptance.

Virtual Reality Distraction for Needle-Related Pain and Distress in Children: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

This international multicenter randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) distraction with an identical non-VR game in reducing needle-related pain and anxiety in children undergoing venous blood draw. The study involved 304 children aged 5-9 years undergoing a blood draw procedure, randomly allocated to one of three groups: VR distraction, non-VR distraction, and control group (usual care). The distraction task was based on the Multiple Object Tracking (MOT) paradigm, and the game was identical in design and gameplay for both VR and non-VR distraction groups.

Protocol for a multi-phase, multi-center, real-world, hybrid effectiveness-implementation study of a digital intervention for pediatric chronic pain co-designed with patients (Digital SPA).

Background: Children and adolescents with chronic pain are a vulnerable population who often lack the resources to manage their condition. Due to high personal, social, and economic consequences, proper management in its early stages is key to reducing disability. The aim of this project is to co-develop a digital intervention for pediatric chronic pain (Digital SPA) with end-users and to evaluate its effectiveness and implementation outcomes in Spain.

ANF therapy for pain management, feasibility, satisfaction, perceived symptom reduction and side effects: a real-world multisite observational study.

[Purpose] Non-invasive and drug-free interventions for pain are being developed. One of them is ANF (which stands for "Amino Neuro Frequency") Therapy, which consists in the application of carbonized metal devices on a patient's skin. We aimed to: 1) test perceived changes in pain intensity after ANF application, 2) record frequency and severity of side effects, 3) assess clinician and patient satisfaction, 4) explore effects on swelling and range of motion (ROM).

Physicians' perception about predictors of opioid abuse in patients with chronic non-cancer pain: a Delphi study.

Background: Opioids are being prescribed widely, and increasingly, for the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP). However, several side effects are associated with mid- and long-term opioid use and, for certain patients, with the risk of problematic opioid use. The aim of this study is to know the perception of the physicians about which variables could be associated with increased risk of patients with CNCP developing a problem of abuse or misuse of the prescribed opioid medication.

How do the activity patterns of people with chronic pain influence the empathic response of future health professionals: an experimental study.

Empathy in healthcare professionals is associated with better treatment outcomes and higher satisfaction among patients with chronic pain. Activity patterns play an essential role in the adjustment of these patients and, as a pain behaviour, may have a communicative function and elicit distinct empathic responses. This study investigated whether the activity pattern profiles characteristic of these patients had differential effects on the empathic response (empathic distress and compassion/sympathy) of future healthcare professionals.

Empathy among health science undergraduates toward the diagnosis of chronic pain: An experimental study.

Objectives: To analyse the empathetic response of future health professionals toward people diagnosed with chronic pain differentiated by the degree of visibility and credibility of symptoms.

Methods: A total of 203 undergraduates performed an experimental task using vignettes depicting different diagnoses of chronic pain and completed questionnaires measuring dispositional and situational empathy. A MANCOVA analysis was conducted.

Pain Interference, Resilience, and Perceived Well-Being During COVID-19: Differences Between Women With and Without Trauma Exposure Prior to the Pandemic.

The aim of this study was to investigate the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in women with non-malignant chronic pain, and to determine whether women exposed to traumatic situations prior to the outbreak would be at a higher risk of negative health impacts. A total of 365 women were divided into three subgroups according to whether or not they had experienced a traumatic event prior to COVID-19. They completed an online survey.

Distress intolerance and pain catastrophizing as mediating variables in PTSD and chronic noncancer pain comorbidity.

Objectives: Several studies have demonstrated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain comorbidity. However, there is a lack of research on the psychological variables that might explain their co-occurrence. We investigated the mediating role of distress intolerance and pain catastrophizing in this relationship.

Information concealment in palliative patients: Development and pilot study of a new scale for caregivers.

Previous studies on palliative care have assessed the phenomenon of Information Concealment (IC), confirmed its relevance and emphasised the need to have a scale for its assessment. The aim of this study was to design and validate such an instrument. The sample comprised 150 palliative caregivers (23 men and 127 women).

Does pain catastrophizing and distress intolerance mediate the relationship between PTSD and prescribed opioid misuse in people with chronic noncancer pain?

Objective: There is an ongoing debate on the use of long-term high-dose medically prescribed opioid analgesics for patients with chronic noncancer pain. Such use is elevated when there is comorbid pain and PTSD, which is quite prevalent. Therefore, it is relevant to investigate the psychological variables that may explain opioid misuse in this population.

Spanish Validation of the COMM Scale to Assess the Misuse of Prescription Opioids in Patients with Chronic Noncancer Pain.

The Current Opioid Misuse Measure (COMM) is a questionnaire used to identify and monitor chronic pain patients on opioid therapy who may be misusing their prescription opioids. The aim of the present study was to adapt the questionnaire for its use in Spanish-speaking populations. A total of 171 individuals (131 women and 40 men) with nononcological chronic pain participated in this cross-sectional study.

Intolerance of Uncertainty Moderates the Relationship between Catastrophizing, Anxiety, and Perceived Pain in People with Chronic Nononcological Pain.

Objective: Substantial empirical evidence has shown that intolerance of uncertainty is a central transdiagnostic feature in psychopathology and it has been suggested to be a pain-related psychological factor contributing to the experience of chronic pain. However, research in this area is virtually nonexistent. The objective of this study was to investigate associations between pain severity, catastrophizing, and anxiety in people with chronic nononcological pain, while assuming that intolerance of uncertainty moderates these relationships.

Diagnostic and Predictive Capacity of the Spanish Versions of the Opioid Risk Tool and the Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain-Revised: A Preliminary Investigation in a Sample of People with Noncancer Chronic Pain.

Introduction: Accurate assessment of the risk of opioid abuse and misuse in people with noncancer chronic pain is crucial for their prevention. This study aimed to provide preliminary evidence of the diagnostic and predictive capacity of the Spanish versions of the Opioid Risk Tool (ORT) and the Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain-Revised (SOAPP-R).

Methods: We used the Current Opioid Misuse Measure (COMM) as criterion measure to assess the capacity of each tool to identify patients misusing opioids at the time of the assessment.

The Informal Social Support for Autonomy and Dependence in Pain Inventory Spanish version.

Social support plays a crucial role in the quality of life of people with chronic pain. The Informal Social Support for Autonomy and Dependence in Pain Inventory assesses two functions of received social support: the promotion of autonomy and the promotion of dependence. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to adapt this instrument for its use in the Spanish population.

The Silhouettes Fatigue Scale: a validity study with individuals with physical disabilities and chronic pain.

Purpose: Fatigue is known to interfere with function in individuals with physical disabilities. In order to monitor changes in fatigue over time and evaluate the efficacy of treatments, psychometrically sound measures of fatigue are needed. The aim of this work was to evaluate the validity of the Silhouettes Fatigue Scale with English instructions (SFS-EN) in a sample of adults with physical disabilities living in the USA.

The Impairment and Functioning Inventory Revised-English version: A validation study in individuals with disabilities and bothersome pain.

Background: Despite the relevance of daily function in individuals with chronic pain, few questionnaires have been designed to assess this domain in individuals with musculoskeletal pain. In addition, the Impairment and Functioning Inventory-Revised (IFI-R) is the only instrument that assesses perceived decreases in levels of daily activity after the onset of pain.

Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the English version of the IFI-R.

Predictive variables of prescription opioid misuse in patients with chronic noncancer pain. Development of a risk detection scale: A registered report protocol.

Background: Opioid therapy is utilized for a broad range of chronic pain conditions. Several studies have highlighted the adverse effects of opioid medication due to the misuse of these drugs. The gradual increase in the use of opioids has become a global phenomenon and is generating social concern.

Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale-20 (PASS-20-SV).

Background: The PASS-20 is a general measure of pain-related anxiety and fear. The aim of the present study was to adapt the questionnaire for use in Spanish-speaking populations.

Methods: Sample 1 comprised 216 individuals with chronic spinal pain (114 women and 102 men); sample 2 comprised 85 individuals with acute spinal pain (62 women and 23 men).

Pain Acceptance Creates an Emotional Context That Protects against the Misuse of Prescription Opioids: A Study in a Sample of Patients with Chronic Noncancer Pain.

There is solid evidence of an association between several psychological flexibility processes, particularly pain acceptance, and adaptation to chronic pain. However, there are relatively few studies on the relationship between pain acceptance and opioid misuse in chronic pain patients. Thus, the aim of the present study was to test a hypothetical model in which pain acceptance would regulate pain sensations and pain-related thoughts and emotions, which would be related to opioid misuse.

The relevance of psychological strength for physical and psychological well-being in trauma-exposed women.

Traumatic experiences have consistently been linked to poor health and well-being, particularly in women. Psychological factors have been theorized to directly affect the reporting of physical symptoms and perceptions of general health. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been proposed as a major pathway through which trauma affects health and emotion dysregulation.

The Relationship Between Experiential Avoidance and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms: A Moderated Mediation Model Involving Dissociation, Guilt, and Gender.

Experiential avoidance, dissociation, and guilt have been shown to be associated with trauma exposure and to play an important role in explaining the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress symptoms. However, there is a lack of studies that simultaneously address the relationship between these variables, which has never been studied within the framework of emotional processing theory. Furthermore, gender differences in traumatic victimization, posttraumatic stress symptoms, experiential avoidance, dissociation, and guilt have also been reported.

Chronic pain in the time of COVID-19: Stress aftermath and central sensitization.

Objectives: The COVID-19 crisis is a significant stressor worldwide. The physical and emotional condition of individuals with pain sensitization syndromes who are experiencing the pandemic may worsen. This study investigated the contribution of life changes due to the coronavirus to emotional distress in individuals with a diagnosis of chronic central sensitization pain and tested whether the associations between level of pain and sensitization were independent of or mediated by emotional distress.