Correlation between psychosocial stresses, stress coping ability, pain intensity and degree of disability in patients with non-specific neck pain

Abstract

This study was conducted to find out which factor among stress inducing factors and stress coping factors that can affect patients with non-specific neck pain has more correlation with the intensity of neck pain and the degree of disability. This study is a cross-sectional correlational study. 100 patients diagnosed with non-specific neck pain participated in this study. The characteristics of the participants in this study are as follows. There were 56 men and 44 women, with an average age of 34.11 years, height of 169.91, and weight of 66.97 kg. The participant`s pain intensity was 5.18 and disability index was 21.44. In order to evaluate the pain intensity and disability level of patients with non-specific neck pain, Numeric Pain Rating SCALE (NPRS), and Neck Disability Index (NDI) were investigated, respectively. Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK) were used to evaluate stress inducing factors. Brief Resolution Scale (BRS), Latack Coping Scale (LCS), and Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) were used to evaluate stress coping factors. Spearman correlation coefficients were used to determine the correlation between NPRS, NDI, and DASS-21, TSK, BRS, LCS, and PSEQ in patients with non-specific neck pain. As a results of this study, the NPRS was correlated with NDI and TSK. The NPRS and NDI were found to have a moderate correlation, but they were correlated with TSK, but showed a weak correlation. The NDI was found to be correlated with TSK, DASS, BRS, and PSEQ. In addition, NDI showed a weak correlation with TSK, BRS, and PSEQ, but the DASS showed a moderate correlation, showing the strongest correlation among the factors. These outcomes suggest that psychosocial factors, particularly stress-related factors such as depression, anxiety, and fear of movement, exert a more pronounced influence on pain intensity and disability in individuals with non-specific neck pain.