Centre for Pain Research, The University of Bath, Bath, UK.
Psychol Health. 2013;28(7):746-64. doi: 10.1080/08870446.2012.759222. Epub 2013 Jan 24.
Sex differences exist in the relationship between anxiety and pain, although findings are mixed. One reason could be because a number of anxiety measures have been used. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the core components within commonly used pain anxiety measures, and see whether these components are differentially related to sensation and pain thresholds in men and women. DESIGN, MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: One hundred and eighty-nine healthy adults (119 female) completed the Fear of Pain Questionnaire, Pain Catastrophising Scale, Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale, Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Thermal sensation and pain thresholds, mechanical sensation and pressure pain thresholds were also collected.
A Principal Components Analysis of anxiety measures revealed three constructs: general distress, cognitive intrusion and fear of pain from injury/insult. Sex did not moderate the relationship between these anxiety constructs and sensation/pain thresholds. However, a significant main effect of sex was found to predict thermal pain thresholds.
Preliminary indications suggest that pain anxiety dimensions can be reduced to three core constructs, and used to examine pain sensation. However, sex did not moderate this relationship. Further research is required to establish the extent and strength of sex differences in the relationship between anxiety and pain.
焦虑与疼痛之间存在性别差异，尽管研究结果存在差异。其中一个原因可能是因为使用了许多焦虑测量方法。因此，本研究旨在确定常用疼痛焦虑测量方法中的核心成分，并探讨这些成分是否与男性和女性的感觉和疼痛阈值存在差异关系。
设计、主要观察指标：189 名健康成年人（119 名女性）完成了疼痛恐惧问卷、疼痛灾难化量表、疼痛焦虑症状量表、焦虑敏感指数-3 和抑郁焦虑压力量表。还收集了热感觉和疼痛阈值、机械感觉和压痛阈值。
对焦虑测量方法进行主成分分析，揭示了三个结构：一般困扰、认知入侵和对伤害/侮辱的疼痛恐惧。性别并没有调节这些焦虑结构与感觉/疼痛阈值之间的关系。然而，性别存在显著的主效应，可预测热痛阈值。
初步迹象表明，疼痛焦虑维度可以简化为三个核心结构，并用于检查疼痛感觉。然而，性别并没有调节这种关系。需要进一步研究以确定焦虑与疼痛之间的性别差异的程度和强度。
