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The Nature and Extent of Social Anxiety and Avoidance in Patients with Chronic Pain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 February 2012

Renée F. Seebeck ,
Malcolm H. Johnson  and
Ross A. Flett
Renée F. Seebeck
Affiliation:
Massey University, New Zealand
Malcolm H. Johnson
Affiliation:
Massey University, New Zealand
Ross A. Flett
Affiliation:
Massey University, New Zealand
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Abstract

The present study explored the nature and extent of social anxiety and avoidance, anxiety sensitivity, and pain-related anxiety and avoidance in 46 clinic-referred chronic pain patients, compared with a community-based group reporting pain (n = 66) and healthy controls (n = 57). The chronic pain patients consistently reported higher levels of social distress, social avoidance, fear of negative evaluation, anxiety sensitivity, and pain-related anxiety and avoidance as compared with controls. Group differences in social distress, social avoidance, fear of negative evaluation, pain-related cognitive anxiety, and fear of cognitive and emotional dyscontrol, remained stable when pain severity was controlled for. Anxiety sensitivity was strongly related to both social and pain-related fears. The source of these social fears is examined in relation to the elevated pain-related fear and anxiety sensitivity also exhibited by chronic pain patients, and implications for treatment and rehabilitation are discussed.

Type
Articles
Information
The Australian Journal of Rehabilitation Counselling , Volume 9 , Issue 1 , January 2003 , pp. 52 - 72
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2003

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