Alexithymia and Early Maladaptive Schemas in chronic pain patients

Alexithymia and Early Maladaptive Schemas in chronic pain patients

Saariaho, A. S., Saariaho, T. H., Mattila, A. K., Karukivi, M., & Joukamaa, M. I. (2015). Alexithymia and Early Maladaptive Schemas in chronic pain patients. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 56(4), 428-437. doi:10.1111/sjop.12226

Psychological factors have an impact on subjective pain experience. The aim of this study was to explore the occurrence of alexithymia and Early Maladaptive Schemas in a sample of 271 first visit chronic pain patients of six pain clinics. The patients completed the study questionnaire consisting of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20, the Finnish version of the Young Schema Questionnaire short form-extended, the Beck Depression Inventory- II, and pain variables. Alexithymic patients scored higher on Early Maladaptive Schemas and had more pain intensity, pain disability and depression than nonalexithymic patients. Both alexithymia and depression correlated significantly with most Early Maladaptive Schemas. The co-occurrence of alexithymia, Early Maladaptive Schemas and depression seems to worsen the pain experience. Screening of alexithymia, depression and Early Maladaptive Schemas may help to plan psychological treatment interventions for chronic pain patients.

Chronic Pain; Psychosocial Factors; Affective Symptoms; Depression; Risk Factors; Funding Source; Human; Psychological Tests; Scales; T-Tests; Confidence Intervals; Questionnaires; Adolescence; Young Adult; Adult; Middle Age; Male; Female; Mann-Whitney U T

Finland

Clinical

Early maladaptive schemas

Comparison between clinical group/s and/or healthy adult controls