Examining Psychological Distress and Learned Helplessness in Iranians Chronic Pain Patients with Differing Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Intensity: A Comparative Study

Chronic pain (CP) is defined as persistent, severe pain lasting for more than three months and is often associated with psychological distress (PD) and learned helplessness (LH).

This study aims to explore the relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), PD, and LH in individuals with CP.

The research employed a descriptive, causal-comparative methodology. The study population consisted of patients referred to pain and physiotherapy clinics in Tehran between 2022 and 2023. From a pool of 300 CP patients, 150 with high-grade PTSD severity and 150 with low-grade PTSD severity were purposively selected. Participants completed PTSD (Blevins et al., 2015), PD (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), and LH (Quinnells & Nelson, 1988) questionnaires. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-24 software, with multivariate analysis of variance used for data analysis (P < 0.005).

Among the 300 patients, 52.6% were married, 44.0% held a bachelor’s degree, and 37.4% had musculoskeletal disorders. The findings revealed significant differences in PD and LH levels between the two groups (P < 0.001). Chronic pain patients with high-grade PTSD exhibited greater levels of depression (F = 211.09), anxiety (F = 231.06), stress (F = 374.85), and LH (F = 457.79) compared to those with low-grade PTSD (P < 0.001).

This research highlights the significant impact of PTSD severity on PD and LH in individuals with CP. These results emphasize the need to consider psychological factors in the treatment and management of CP.