Predicting Pain Catastrophizing based on Pain Anxiety Symptoms and Cognitive Flexibility in Cancer Patients

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prediction of pain catastrophizing based on pain anxiety symptoms and cognitive flexibility in cancer patients

Method and Materials:

In this cross-sectional study all cancer patients in Tehran in 2021-22 were the target population. Among this population  250 cancer patients were selected via candidate and at reach sampling method. Then the selected patients completed the Paknejadet al.`s Pain Anxiety Symptoms (2014), Sullivan et al. `s Pain Catastrophizing Pain (1995),and Dennis et al.`s (2010) Cognitive Flexibility Questionnaire. For data analysis, Pearson correlation and step by step regression analysis were used. Data were analyzed by SPSS-24.

There was a relationship between cognitive flexibility and pain anxiety symptoms with pain catastrophizing (P0.01>). The relationship between pain catastrophizing with pain anxiety symptoms was positive. However, there was a negative relationship between pain catastrophizing and cognitive flexibility. Moreover, catastrophizing pain could be predicted based on anxiety symptoms and cognitive flexibility.

To conclude, it seems in cancer patients some cognitive factors have important roles in pain catastrophizing as pain anxiety symptoms and cognitive flexibility.