COVID-19 and processes of adjustment in people with persistent pain: the role of psychological flexibility.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the current study was to investigate facets of Psychological Flexibility (PF) and Psychological Inflexibility (PI) and their relations with depression, anxiety, and insomnia in people with chronic pain during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was predicted that the full set of facets would significantly predict all three outcomes. The relative contributions of differing facets and dimensions was explored.

METHODS

Participants with pain were selected from a sample of 1,657 Swedish adults responding to an online survey of health and COVID-19. Persistent pain was defined as pain on most days, present for three months or more. A total of 560, 33.8% of the total sample, were included in the analyses. Standardized and validated measures were used to measure depression, anxiety, and insomnia, and the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory (MPFI) was used to measure both PF and PI.

RESULTS

Significant rates of depression, anxiety, and insomnia, at 43.1, 26.4, and 64.2%, respectively, were found in this sample. These rates appear higher than those found in a general sample in Sweden. PF was negatively associated with these problems while PI was positively associated with them. Better prediction of outcome was obtained by PI compared to PF.

CONCLUSIONS

PF and especially PI appear to have played a role in relation to health outcomes in people with persistent pain during the COVID-19 pandemic. This group of people appears to have been especially vulnerable to the impacts of the pandemic. This study motivates further investigation and development of treatment approaches, possibly focusing on training PF, for people with persistent pain in the current pandemic context and in the future.