Key aspects concerning the role of emotion in the chronic pain experience.

Pain and emotions are inherently connected, and this review presents contemporary findings on the pain-emotion connection. We address in what ways pain and emotions are related as well as how the link may be understood and targeted in treatment. Both pain and negative emotions are essential (and ancient) biological and motivational systems which share protective and regulatory functions.

Recurrent pain in older age: A cross-sectional network analysis of biopsychosocial-existential interactions.

Objective: Chronic pain is a prevalent condition in older adults, associated with substantial distress. For many older people, chronic pain interferes with their daily life which is reflected in various life domains. This study aimed to investigate whether interactions among self-reported indicators of biological, psychological, social, and existential life domains differ for older adults with no pain, with non-interfering pain, and with interfering pain.

Providing a new transdiagnostic emotion-focused pain treatment in a clinical context: therapists' experiences of facilitators and barriers.

Providing new psychological treatments in clinical settings requires implementation strategies adapted to the organizational context. This study explored how licensed psychologists experienced their context when providing a new transdiagnostic psychological treatment, "the hybrid treatment", to treat comorbid pain and emotional problems in a clinical setting. We aimed to identify which contextual factors the therapists experienced as facilitating or hindering, to gain a better understanding of important considerations when planning a future implementation strategy.

A Network Analysis of the Fear Avoidance Model of Genital Pain.

Using a novel data-driven network approach, this study aimed to examine the interconnection between the key elements of the Fear-Avoidance Model of female genital pain - sexual arousal, fear-avoidant cognitions, and motivational coping - and its associated factors to predict the intensity and frequency of genital pain across women over time. Network modeling allowed for a comprehensive evaluation of the Fear-Avoidance model while capturing the dynamic features of genital pain. We estimated a cross-sectional and a temporal, contemporaneous, and between-persons network model on convenience-based data of 543 female students (mean age = 23.

Coping with provoked vestibulodynia in a relational context-A cluster analysis of coping patterns and their associations with relational cognitions and goals.

Background: Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a common pain condition, negatively impacting the relationships and sexual lives of sufferers. Women's coping behaviour has been associated with psychosexual outcomes, yet coping patterns in clinical PVD samples are unexplored, and it is not known how women's coping relates to their relational context.

Method: Women (N = 128) with PVD answered questionnaires about psychosexual function, pain coping (avoidance and endurance), relational- and pain catastrophizing, sexual goals and perceived partner responses.

Understanding Work Ability in Employees with Pain and Stress-Related Ill-Health: An Explorative Network Analysis of Individual Characteristics and Psychosocial Work Environment.

Purpose: There is a wide range of individual and work environment factors that influence work ability among workers with pain and stress-related ill-health. The multiple interactions and overlap between these factors are insufficiently understood, and a network approach could mitigate limitations of previous research. This pilot study aimed to explore interactions between individual characteristics and psychosocial work environment and potential links to long-term work ability.

Chronic pelvic pain; more than just the bladder.

Purpose Of Review: Chronic pelvic pain is much of a burden to those who suffer from it. Additionally, in many patients medical doctors, such as urologists are unable to identify a cause or clear pathology that can explain the pain. Still numerous patients and doctors keep on searching for a cause, focussing particularly on the pelvic organs.

Psychometric Assessment of the Swedish version of the Work Ability Index in Patients with Chronic Pain in Specialized Care.

Objective: To evaluate the construct validity and internal consistency of the Work Ability Index (WAI) in patients with chronic pain in secondary and tertiary care.

Methods: Cross-sectional study based on 200 patients with chronic pain (> 3 months), with a final sample of 118 participants, 18-64-years-old. Construct validity was assessed by exploratory factor analysis for the structural validity of the WAI, and by correlating the WAI with EuroQol EQ-5D, Brief Pain Inventory pain severity and interference, Patient Health Questionnaire and Generalized Anxiety Disorder scales.

Sexual communication patterns in couples with vulvodynia-a case-control behavioral observation study.

Background: Sexual communication is a common target in psychological treatments for vulvodynia, and associations with sexual function and distress, as well as pain intensity, have been demonstrated. However, structured observations of the communication patterns of couples with vulvodynia are lacking, as these are needed to guide treatment efforts.

Aim: To explore (1) the sexual communication patterns in couples with vulvodynia in terms of observed communication quality (operationalized as validating and invalidating responses), self-reported sexual assertiveness, and self-disclosure and (2) associations between sexual communication quality and pain intensity.

Using Personas in the development of eHealth interventions for chronic pain: A scoping review and narrative synthesis.

Objectives: Behavioral eHealth interventions can enhance self-management and improve well-being in people with chronic pain. The development of these interventions calls for a user-centered approach to ensure that patient needs are appreciated. However, it may be challenging to involve patients; particularly during the early stages of the process.

Effect moderators in Internet-based exposure therapy for fibromyalgia: The role of pain intensity.

Background: A recent randomized controlled trial (N = 140) was indicative of large and sustained average improvements of Internet-based exposure for fibromyalgia, as compared to a waitlist. However, little is known about who benefits the most from this treatment.

Objectives: To test for potential moderating effects of age, educational attainment, the duration of fibromyalgia, baseline overall fibromyalgia severity, pain intensity, fibromyalgia-related avoidance behaviour and symptom preoccupation on the waitlist-controlled effect of 10 weeks of Internet-based exposure for fibromyalgia.

Prevalence and risk factors for pain-specific school absenteeism in adolescents with recurrent pain: A prospective population-based design.

Background: Adolescents with recurrent pain miss out from school more often than pain-free peers. Research has so far used cross-sectional designs, focusing on non-specific absenteeism in clinical samples. Hence, it is unknown whether estimates of absenteeism are specifically linked to the pain itself or reflects the characteristics of clinical samples.

Preventing Pain and Stress-Related Ill-Health in Employees: A 6-Months Follow-Up of a Psychosocial Program in a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose Pain and stress-related ill-health are major causes of long-term disability and sick leave. This study evaluated the effects of a brief psychosocial program, which previously has been tested for an at-risk population of employees. Methods The Effective Communication within the Organization (ECO) program, where supervisors and employees were trained in communication and problem solving, was compared to an active control consisting of psychoeducative lectures (PE) about pain and stress in a cluster randomized controlled trial.

An initial proof of concept: A replicated single-case study of a CBT group treatment with partner involvement for vulvodynia.

Vulvodynia is common and has an immense impact on affected women and their partners. Psychological factors have been found to contribute to pain maintenance and exacerbation, and treatments addressing psychological factors have yielded positive results. This study employed a replicated single-case experimental design to examine a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) group treatment with partner involvement in vulvodynia.

Myofascial Pelvic Pain: Best Orientation and Clinical Practice. Position of the European Association of Urology Guidelines Panel on Chronic Pelvic Pain.

Context: Despite the high prevalence of a myofascial pain component in chronic pelvic pain (CPP) syndromes, awareness and management of this component are lacking among health care providers.

Objective: To summarize the current state of the art for the management of myofascial pain in chronic primary pelvic pain syndromes (CPPPS) according to scientific research and input from experts from the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines panel on CPP.

Evidence Acquisition: A narrative review was undertaken using three sources: (1) information in the EAU guidelines on CPP; (2) information retrieved from the literature on research published in the past 3 yr on myofascial pelvic pain; and (3) expert opinion from panel members.

Male pelvic pain: the role of psychological factors and sexual dysfunction in a young sample.

Objectives: Male pelvic pain is a common yet poorly understood condition, strongly influencing quality of life of those affected. Research on psychological and sexual factors is lacking, specifically on younger men in family-forming ages. This study aims to explore psychological and sexual factors related to pelvic pain in younger men (<40 years) through a cross-sectional design.

Development, evaluation and implementation of a digital behavioural health treatment for chronic pain: study protocol of the multiphase DAHLIA project.

Introduction: Chronic pain affects about 20%-40% of the population and is linked to mental health outcomes and impaired daily functioning. Pharmacological interventions are commonly insufficient for producing relief and recovery of functioning. Behavioural health treatment is key to generate lasting benefits across outcome domains.

Treatment of Provoked Vulvodynia: A Systematic Review.

Background: Treatment recommendations for provoked vulvodynia (PVD) are based on clinical experiences and there is a need for systematically summarizing the controlled trials in this field.

Aim: To provide an overview of randomized controlled trials and non-randomized studies of intervention for PVD, and to assess the certainty of the scientific evidence, in order to advance treatment guidelines.

Data Sources: The search was conducted in CINAHL (EBSCO), Cochrane Library, Embase (Embase.

Behavioral Medicine Physiotherapy in the Context of Return to Work for Chronic Pain: A Single-Case Experimental Design Study.

Effective interventions are needed for return-to-work (RTW) for individuals with chronic pain on long-term sick leave. In this study, a behavioral medicine physiotherapy protocol was systematically replicated and added to workplace components. The intervention was evaluated for fidelity and effects on target activities and work ability.

A Psychosocial Approach to Erectile Dysfunction: Position Statements from the European Society of Sexual Medicine (ESSM).

Introduction: Although erectile dysfunction (ED) involves an interaction between physiological and psychological pathways, the psychosocial aspects of ED have received considerably less attention so far.

Aim: To review the available evidence on the psychosocial aspects of ED in order to develop a position statement and clinical practice recommendations on behalf of the European Society of Sexual Medicine (ESSM).

Method: A comprehensive, narrative review of the literature was performed.

Predictors of Disability Attributed to Symptoms of Increased Interrecti Distance in Women after Childbirth: An Observational Study.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate how various physical and psychological factors are linked to disability attributed to symptoms from increased interrecti distance (IRD) in women after childbirth.

Methods: In this cross-sectional observational study, 141 women with an IRD of at least 2 finger-widths and whose youngest child was between the ages of 1 and 8 years participated. A multiple linear regression model was performed, with disability as the outcome variable and fear-avoidance beliefs, emotional distress, body mass index, lumbopelvic pain, IRD, and physical activity level as predictor variables.

The Context Matters: A Retrospective Analysis of Life Stage at Chronic Pain Onset in Relation to Pain Characteristics and Psychosocial Outcomes.

Background: Developmental life stage at chronic pain onset differs among chronic pain patients. Although pain affects multiple life domains, it is unknown whether the timing of chronic pain onset relates to pain characteristics and psychosocial outcomes. The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate differences in pain characteristics and psychosocial outcomes in patients at different developmental life stages at chronic pain onset.

What Works? Processes of Change in a Transdiagnostic Exposure Treatment for Patients With Chronic Pain and Emotional Problems.

Objectives: We recently developed a transdiagnostic exposure treatment (the hybrid treatment) for chronic pain patients with concurrent emotional difficulties. This paper investigates the hypothesized treatment processes, specifically: (1) if changes on pain-related dysregulation (catastrophizing, fear-avoidance, and nonacceptance of pain) and general emotion dysregulation (difficulties to regulate a broad spectrum of emotional responses) mediate effects on outcomes; and (2) if mediation is more pronounced for patients who score higher on these processes pretreatment.

Materials And Methods: Structural equation modeling for longitudinal data using the full intention-to-treat sample was used to test whether proposed variables mediated the effect of the hybrid treatment (n=58) compared with a guided internet-delivered pain management treatment based on cognitive-behavioral principles (n=57) on pain interference and depressive symptoms at the 9-month follow-up.