Avoidance and Endurance Responses to Pain Before and with Advanced Chronification: Preliminary Results from a Questionnaire Survey in Adult Patients with Non-Cancer Pain Conditions.

PURPOSE

The Avoidance-Endurance Model postulates fear-avoidance responses and endurance responses as important psychological mechanisms in the development and maintenance of chronic pain. The present study aims to investigate potential differences in avoidance and endurance responses to pain before and with advanced chronification.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Two samples of adults with non-cancer pain at two different stages of chronicity were compared: One with pain and risk factors for chronicity (n=26, part of the PAIN2020 project) and one with chronic pain (n=33 from a pain day care clinic). The German Pain Questionnaire, the Graded Chronic Pain Scale (GCPS) and medical reports were used to measure duration and severity of pain. Responses to pain were assessed with the Avoidance-Endurance Questionnaire (AEQ) and psychological strain with the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS).

RESULTS

Both groups were primarily affected by musculoskeletal pain. Although not yet chronified, the risk group reported comparable GCPS levels of pain intensity and disability. Depression and stress ratings were also similar, except for anxiety, which was significantly elevated in the chronic pain sample (<.001). The AEQ scales did not differ between groups, neither on any of the fear-avoidance- nor endurance-related dimensions. A post-hoc regression analysis revealed a significant prediction of fear-avoidance by pain-related disability (<.001). The regression model for endurance responses was not significant.

CONCLUSION

Patients with risk factors of chronification experience substantial pain-related burden. Responses to pain in the realm of the Avoidance-Endurance model do not appear to vary as a function of chronification. While fear-avoidance and pain-related disability correlate positively, endurance could not be associated to any of our variables.