Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; The Specialized Hospital for Polio and Accident Victims, Roedovre, Denmark.
J Psychosom Res. 2018 Aug;111:127-132. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2018.06.002. Epub 2018 Jun 8.
Pain perception and pain behaviors are distinct phenomena with different functions. Pain behaviors are protective in their functions, which include eliciting empathy or caring behaviors from others. Moreover, pain behaviors are intertwined with interpersonal relationships with significant others, which is why attachment orientations have been suggested as interpersonal schemas moderating the association between pain and pain behaviors. The aim of the current study was to assess the impact of insecure attachment dimensions on pain behaviors in laboratory-induced pain.
This experimental study included a sample of 60 patients with low back pain recruited from a large spine center in a hospital in Region of Southern Denmark. Patients were recorded on video during a cold pressor procedure and asked to rate their level of pain. Prior to the procedure, attachment orientations were assessed by the Revised Adult Attachment Scale. Two assessors independently coded the recorded video material for protective and communicative pain behaviors.
A positive correlation of moderate size was found between pain intensity and pain communication. As hypothesized, attachment anxiety moderated the association between pain and pain behaviors. A high level of attachment anxiety was associated with at weaker association between pain and pain behaviors. None of the attachment dimensions correlated with pain intensity or pain behaviors.
The results indicate that patients with high levels of attachment anxiety may downplay pain and communication thereof. This finding is of potential clinical importance, since pain communication, among others, serves the function of eliciting caring behavior from healthcare personnel.
疼痛感知和疼痛行为是具有不同功能的两种截然不同的现象。疼痛行为在功能上具有保护作用，包括引起他人的同情或关心行为。此外，疼痛行为与与重要他人的人际关系交织在一起，这就是为什么依恋取向被认为是调节疼痛与疼痛行为之间关系的人际图式。本研究的目的是评估不安全感依恋维度对实验室诱导疼痛中疼痛行为的影响。
本实验研究包括从丹麦南部地区一家医院的大型脊柱中心招募的 60 名腰痛患者的样本。在冷加压程序中对患者进行录像，并要求他们评估自己的疼痛程度。在进行该程序之前，通过修订后的成人依恋量表评估依恋取向。两名评估员独立对录制的视频材料进行保护性和交流性疼痛行为的编码。
疼痛强度与疼痛交流之间存在中等大小的正相关。正如假设的那样，依恋焦虑调节了疼痛与疼痛行为之间的关系。高水平的依恋焦虑与疼痛与疼痛行为之间的较弱关联相关。没有任何依恋维度与疼痛强度或疼痛行为相关。
研究结果表明，焦虑依恋程度较高的患者可能会减轻疼痛及其相关的交流。这一发现具有潜在的临床重要性，因为疼痛交流等功能可以引起医护人员的关心行为。
