Is it better to have controlled and lost than never to have controlled at all? An experimental investigation of control over pain.

Trying to control pain is a common human goal. But little is know about what happens when one loses control over pain. This paper reports an experiment with 74 healthy volunteers, half of whom were given control over a pain stimulus and subsequently lost control, and half of whom never had control over the pain.

Attempting to solve the problem of pain: a questionnaire study in acute and chronic pain patients.

When faced with the problem of pain one can attempt a solution aimed at relief (assimilation) or a solution aimed at acceptance (accommodation). Using this dual process model of adaptation to pain, this study compares acute and chronic pain patients on their approach to problem solving. Three hundred and sixty-four patients were recruited from clinical settings, 303 with chronic pain and 61 with acute pain, and completed a range of measures of both affect and pain-related behavior, including the Pain Solutions Questionnaire.

Psychophysiological analysis (PSPHA): a modular script-based program for analyzing psychophysiological data.

In psychophysiological research, complex tailor-made and interactive analyses of biosignals (e.g., skin conductance, heart rate, and respiration) are often required.

Finding a solution to the problem of pain: conceptual formulation and the development of the Pain Solutions Questionnaire (PaSol).

We report the development of the Pain Solutions Questionnaire (PaSol), an instrument designed to measure assimilative (efforts at changing or solving pain) and accommodative (accepting that pain cannot be solved, and changing life goals) responses to the problems associated with pain. Data were collected from 476 adults suffering from chronic pain. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses resulted in a 14-item instrument with an adequate oblique 4-factor structure: (1) Solving Pain scale (4 items), (2) Meaningfulness of Life Despite Pain scale (5 items), (3) Acceptance of the Insolubility of Pain scale (3 items), and (4) Belief in a Solution scale (2 items).

Worrying about chronic pain. An examination of worry and problem solving in adults who identify as chronic pain sufferers.

Worry is a common feature of chronic pain. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent of worry experienced by adults with chronic pain, and to explore features of problem solving associated with worry and chronic pain. A further purpose was to investigate whether there were differences in worry and problem solving for those presenting at a pain clinic for treatment, compared to those who identified as chronic pain sufferers but who were not presenting for treatment.