Abuse Factors, Anxiety, and Somatic Complaint in Psychological Evaluation of Pain Patients

The incidence of child abuse in the United States is a tremendous problem. Several studies have examined the long-term effects of child abuse on adulthood physical health, particularly in the context of chronic pain. One aspect of the abuse-pain relationship that has not yet been extensively researched is the effect of other forms of psychopathology on this interaction. In this archival study, the relationship between abuse history and chronic pain was examined in a sample of patients with chronic pain who were evaluated by a clinical health psychologist. In contrast with previous studies, however, anxiety and depression also were evaluated as possible mediating variables in this relationship. It was found that although child abuse history was not a significant predictor of pain severity perception, anxiety and depression did account for a significant portion of the variance in pain intensity perceptions. This result indicated that depression and anxiety are both variables that should be examined further in the context of chronic pain, and also warranted further research on the relationship between childhood abuse and adulthood chronic pain