Relationship between pain severity, emotion and beliefs

Abstract

Objective To analyze the relationship between pain sensation, emotion and recognition in three dimensions. Methods By using questionnaires which contained general information questionnaire, Cancer Pain Questionnaire, Self-reporting Inventory (SCL-90), Pain Beliefs and Perceptions Inventory (PBPI) to investigate pain sensation, emotion and recognition of 46 patients with cancer pain. Results There were 13(28.3%) cases sufferd from mild pain,17 (37.0%) cases were moderate pain, 16 (34.8%)cases were severe pain.As to the result of SCL-90,patients showed obvious symptom in somatization, depression, anxiety and hostility.They holded deep belief of that pain was very mysterious.There was a significant correlation between pain severity and depression(rs=0.377), anxiety (rs=0.388) on the condition that confidence level was 0.01; there was also a significant correlation between pain degree and interpersonal sensitivity(rs=0.308), hostility(rs=0.320) on the condition that confidence level was 0.05.As to pain beliefs, pain degree had a significant correlation with it in the dimension of pain as mystery (rs=0.529) and pain was persistent(rs=0.680) on the condition that confidence level was 0.01. Conclusions The survey shows a positive correlation between pain severity, emotion of pain(such as anxiety,depression,hostility and interpersonal sensitivity) and beliefs about pain as mystery or permanent. Key words: Neoplasms; Pain; Emotions; Cognition; Antineoplastic protocols