Daily functioning is an important aspect of chronic pain management, particularly for individuals living with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Previous studies have established that emotional support from significant others is beneficial for chronic pain patients. However, emotional support can be discrepant from one’s preference and can also fluctuate. Thus, the present study investigates the role of instability in emotional support discrepancy on the daily functioning of patients with CRPS.

Participants consisted of 21 CRPS patients. Google Forms was used to obtain daily diary ratings over 15 days.The mean square of successive differences was calculated as an indicator of instability of emotional support discrepancy. Statistical analysis was conducted using hierarchical linear modeling.

Hierarchical linear modeling reveals that the moderating effect of instability in emotional support discrepancy on the relationship between daily pain severity daily activity avoidance (coefficient=0.01, t (292)=5.57, p<.001), activity interference (coefficient=0.01, t (292)=5.98, p<.001), distraction (coefficient=0.01, t (292)=5.10, p= .007) was statistically significant.

The results of this study suggest that instability in emotional support discrepancy reduces the buffering effect of emotional support.

Fear-avoidance model for pain suggests interpretation bias affects subsequent pain experience. However, limited research has been conducted on the role of interpretation bias in a subjective pain experience. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of interpretation bias modification for pain outcomes (i.e., pain intensity, threshold, and tolerance).

53 healthy university students were randomly assigned to either the training (n=28) or the control group (n=25). Interpretation bias and negative emotion were assessed before and after conducting the interpretation bias modification for pain (IBM-P). During a cold pressor task, pain outcomes were measured.

Results indicated that the training group showed significantly decreased interpretation bias and negative emotion than the control group after the IBM-P. Also, participants in the training group was found to have a greater pain threshold during the cold pressor task than those in the control group. Furthermore, the IBM-P effect on increased pain threshold was mediated by post-interpretational bias. Other pain outcomes and mediating effect of post-interpretational bias on the negative emotion were not significant.

Results highlight that interpretation bias is modifiable and plays an important role in pain outcomes. Thus, using IBM-P for pain patients can be a useful application to alleviate their pain outcomes. Future research should consider the precise role of interpretation bias that affects patient’s pain outcomes.

Choric Musculoskeletal pain patients suffer from emotional distress such as depression and anxiety and also experience much more discomfort in their lives. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a Mindfulness meditation group therapy and Mindfulness meditation group therapy added Compassion meditation on pain, quality of life, and psychological features in Chronic Musculoskeletal pain patients.

20 participants received 7 weekly sessions in mindfulness meditation training program, which take about 90 minutes each. Only Compassion Meditation group received 20 minutes added program. Measures included Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Quality of life (WHOQOL-BRIF), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Y (STAI-Y), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-16 (AAQ-16), Experiences Questionnaire (EQ), Life Satisfaction Expectancy scales (LSES). All the variables were measured at three time points: pre, post, and follow up implementation.

The t-test results of the participants before and after the Mindfulness Meditation group showed statistically significant improvement in their Pain (t=2.64, p<.05), Depression (t=5.579, p<.05), and State Anxiety (t=2.223, p<.05), but not in another positive psychological features. Added Compassion Meditation group showed statistically significant improvement all of measures (Pain: t=3.180, p<.01, Quality of life: t=4.781, p<.01, Depression: t=2.208, p<.01, State Anxiety: t=3.838, p<.01, Trait Anxiety: t=3.208, p<.01, Acceptance: t=−2.635, p<.05, Experience: t=−3.041, p<.01, Life satisfaction: t=−2.23, p<.05). The follow-up implementation showed the persistence of beneficial changes.

Added compassion meditation is more effective than mindfulness meditation for chronic musculoskeletal pain. There are greater benefits for alleviating pain, improving quality of life and other psychological features that can be gained from performing added compassion meditation rather than doing mindfulness meditation solely.

Repeated strong contraction and relaxation of muscles during exercise can cause tension in the muscle tendon unit. The physical stress caused by tension on muscle tissue is closely linked to pain. This study evaluated sex differences in pain after stretching of hamstring muscles and the decrease in pain over time.

Hamstring flexibility was measured with an active knee extension test before and after stretching. Pain was measured using the visual analogue scale immediately after stretching, on day 1, and day 2.

Pain reported by men was higher than that reported by women, but the difference was not significant. The pain reported by both men and women was significantly decreased on day 1, with a smaller decrease on day 2. There was no correlation between the increase in flexibility and pain.

Pain did not differ between men and women. Additionally, pain was not simply determined by intensity of stretching. Individual characteristics and other factors must also be considered.

According to the fear-avoidance model, pain becomes chronic when it is related to fear and avoidance behavior. When a pain-related threat occurs, humans instinctively use avoidance behavior strategies. However, the support of significant others is likely to inhibit avoidance behavior even with the same pain-related threat stimulus. Thus, in this study, we examined the effects of pain-related threats and social support of romantic partner on avoidance behavior inhibition.

Participants consisted of 80 pairs of healthy undergraduate couples, and were randomly assigned to one of four group conditions in a 2×2 factorial design, with threat level (high/low) and social support (presence/absence) as factors.

The results of the experiment indicated a significant interaction between threat level and social support. Specifically, in the high-threat condition, when social support was provided, task delay time was significantly shorter than when no social support was provided. On the other hand, in the low-threat condition, the time delay difference between high- and low- social support group was not significant. Moreover, social support did not affect fear reduction.

These results indicate that avoidance behaviors, which are instinctive responses to pain, can be inhibited by social support. This result would enhance understanding of the factors that have not been described in the fear-avoidance model in the pain-chronicization process, and will help expand and improve the model. We also discuss possible limitations of the study and scope for further studies.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of monetary motivation on the relationship between pain-related fear and avoidance behavior.

Eighty healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to one of four groups in accordance with task conditions of pain-related fear (high or low) and monetary motivation (high or low).

The autonomic nervous system was more active in the high pain-related fear group than in the low pain-related fear group as the participants watched a video and performed a task. Also, pain-related fear and monetary motivation had a significant interaction effect on avoidance behavior. High monetary motivation was associated with a shorter delay time during task performance in the high pain-related fear group. No significant difference was observed in the delay time in the low pain-related fear group.

This study provides empirical evidence supporting the modified fear-avoidance model and experimentally proves the activation of the goal shielding mechanism.

The population of the aged has been rapidly increasing worldwide, and about 50% of them are under chronic pain by irreversible degenerative diseases. This study aimed to verify the effectiveness of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) on pain, pain interference, and life satisfaction in people with chronic pain. In addition, this study proposed that anxiety, depression, self-efficacy, psychological inflexibility in pain, pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia are mediating the effectiveness of ACT.

Participants of ACT program for this study comprised the elderly aged 65 and over who had been suffering from chronic pain for at least 6 months and reported their pain intensity of at least five on the VAS (Visual Analogue Scale, 0-10). During the sessions, experimental group participated in the ACT program designed by Stoddard and Wetherell(2011) and the control group received health education. After finishing eight sessions of each program, data from 25 participants in the experimental group and 27 in the control group were used for the final analysis.

The results showed that the ACT program is significantly more effective on relieving pain, pain interference, anxiety, and psychological inflexibility in pain than health education program. However, anxiety and psychological inflexibility did not have significant mediating effects on pain and pain interference.

Finally, this study has verified the curative effect of ACT for elderly people suffering from chronic pain. Therefore, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can be used for supplementary treatment for patients with degenerative disease.