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.

Psychological profiles and prescription opioid misuse, craving, and withdrawal in people with chronic pain.

Background: The negative consequences of prescription opioid misuse and opioid use disorder make it relevant to identify factors associated with this problem in individuals with chronic pain. This cross-sectional study aimed at identifying subgroups of people with chronic pain based on their psychological profiles, prescription opioid misuse, craving, and withdrawal.

Methods: The sample comprised 185 individuals with chronic pain.

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).

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.

Psychological interventions for healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review.

Healthcare professionals were especially vulnerable to pandemic, both to become infected and to develop a psychological problem. The aim of this systematic review is to analyze the effectiveness of psychological interventions for healthcare professionals in reducing the experienced psychological impact. From the 405 identified studies, 10 were included in this review.

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.

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.

Concern about COVID-19 among the Spanish population: Validation of a scale and associated symptoms.

Background: The health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a considerable increase in the psychopathology of COVID-19 patients and among the general population. This study aims to conduct the psychometric analysis of the scale of concern about COVID-19 in the Spanish population and to estimate the level of concern and dysfunctional anxiety present one year after the lockdown measures in Spain aimed at resisting the spread of the viral disease among the population.

Methods: The factorial structure of the instrument, its reliability for the general population and for COVID patients, and its construct validity have been analyzed, and measurements of dysfunctional concern have been obtained from a sample of 502 adults.

Psychological Variables Associated With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Firefighters: A Systematic Review.

Firefighters are repeatedly exposed to work-related potential traumatic events and have an increased risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the mechanisms implicated in this relationship are not clear. The aim of this study was to analyse the risk and protective factors related to the development of PTSD in firefighters.

Relationship Between Group Work Competencies and Satisfaction With Project-Based Learning Among University Students.

There is a growing interest in improving the teaching-learning process at all levels of education, including higher education. In recent years, university institutions have been taking action to renew and modernize the way in which they teach and learn, making the process more dynamic and closer to the current social reality. Competencies such as the ability to work in a team have become essential for the successful implementation of innovative methodologies in which student participation is particularly relevant.

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.

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).

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.

Pain Acceptance and Pain-Related Disability Predict Healthcare Utilization and Medication Intake in Patients with Non-Specific Chronic Spinal Pain.

Longitudinal research is needed to determine predictive factors of healthcare utilization and medication intake in people with non-specific spinal pain. This study aims to prospectively examine the predictive value of sex, age, work status, pain intensity, pain acceptance, disability, depression, pain anxiety, and catastrophizing in relation to healthcare utilization and medication intake in people with non-specific spinal pain. Participants were 79 patients with non-specific spinal pain of 6 to 9 months' duration.

Exploring Changes in Activity Patterns in Individuals with Chronic Pain.

This longitudinal study explored whether activity patterns change over time in a sample of 56 individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain over a 15-day period. Once a day, the participants recorded their level of pain intensity and the degree to which they had engaged in several specific activity patterns. Linear mixed models with random coefficients were used to investigate the rate of change in the activity patterns.

Psychometric characteristics and factorial structures of the Defensive Pessimism Questionnaire-Spanish Version (DPQ-SV).

The aim of this study was to validate the Spanish version of the Defensive Pessimism Questionnaire. A sample of undergraduate students (N = 539) was measured on defensive pessimism using the Defensive Pessimism Questionnaire (DPQ), optimism and pessimism using the Life Orientation Test (LOT), positive and negative affect using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and anxiety using the trait subscale of the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory. A Spanish version of the DPQ (DPQ-SV) is presented.

Using vignettes to assess the contribution of goal adjustment in the adaptation to chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Purpose: The quality of life of individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain partly depends on their capacity to adjust their personal goals. Vignettes have been rarely used to assess this ability. Therefore, this study aimed to test the relationships between vignettes assessing different goal strategies and chronic pain adaptation (i.