Effectiveness of Cognitive Analytic Therapy on Anxiety Sensitivity and Pain Catastrophizing in Patients with Chronic Pain and Alexithymia

The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of cognitive analytic therapy on anxiety sensitivity and pain catastrophizing in patients with chronic pain and alexithymia.

This was a semi-experimental research with pre-test, post-test ,a two months' follow-up, and a control group. The statistical population included all the patients with chronic pain in Isfahan city in 2022. Sampling was done through convenience sampling method among the volunteer patients referred to private clinics in two stages. 24 patients with chronic pain who scored above 60 in Toronto alexithymia questionnaire (1994) were selected and were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (n = 12). The instruments included  Sullivan's pain catastrophizing scale questionnaire (1995) and Taylor and Cox's anxiety sensitivity questionnaire (1998. The experimental group received cognitive analytical therapy for 16 90-minute sessions once a week, and the control group did not receive any intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated measure and ANOVA analysis.

The results of data analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the adjusted mean of anxiety sensitivity and pain catastrophizing in the two groups. The mean scores of anxiety sensitivity and pain catastrophizing variables increased in post-test and follow-up phase (P<0/05). Therefore, it can be concluded that cognitive analytic therapy was effective for anxiety sensitivity and catastrophizing pain in patients with chronic pain and alexithymia (P<0/05).

Considering the effect of cognitive analytic therapy on anxiety sensitivity and pain catastrophizing, this treatment method can be used to improve patients with chronic pain and alexithymia.