Exploring the Preference for Fatigue-avoidance Goals as a Mediator Between Pain Catastrophizing, Functional Impairment and.., 2021, Velasco et al

Full title: Exploring the Preference for Fatigue-avoidance Goals as a Mediator Between Pain Catastrophizing, Functional Impairment and Walking Behavior in Women with Fibromyalgia

Abstract

Objectives:
Along with the symptoms of pain and fatigue, pain catastrophizing and avoidance behaviors are highly prevalent and associated with functional impairment in Fibromyalgia (FM) patients. Although pain and fatigue affect patients’ quality of life, research has been exclusively focused on how pain affects physical activity and exercise. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of pain catastrophizing and preference for fatigue-avoidance goals in walking behavior and functional impairment in women with FM.

Methods:
In this cross-sectional study the sample was composed of 76 participants aged 18 years and older (mean age=55.05, SD=7.70). The study evaluated pain catastrophizing, preference for fatigue-avoidance goals, functional impairment and walking behavior along with sociodemographic variables and clinical data.

Results:
Pain catastrophizing was associated with preference for fatigue-avoidance goals and this preference was associated with greater functional impairment and less distance walked. Path analysis supported the mediating role of preference for fatigue-avoidance goals in the relationship between pain catastrophizing and walking behavior and between pain catastrophizing and functional impairment. Furthermore, pain catastrophizing predicted greater preference for fatigue-avoidance goals which predicted more problems in functioning and less distance walked.

Discussion:
The present study may help clarify the connection between the factors that stop FM patients from implementing beneficial behaviors such as walking, and thus, allowing for the design of psychological interventions that seek to maintain physical functioning despite suffering from fatigue.

Paywall, https://journals.lww.com/clinicalpa...e_Preference_for_Fatigue_avoidance.98542.aspx

 

Was this published in Science Parody magazine? I will simply assume so and not bother checking, as is fitting of this satirical piece.

If I read the results right, and frankly it's difficult to make sense of this word salad, avoiding exertion is associated with... avoiding exertion. Also if I read the results right, these people are very oddly judgemental and seem confused about having the ability to determine a complete stranger's pain level, a necessary step in whatever "catastrophizing" is supposed to mean, basically writing a ratio without even knowing the denominator. I have no idea how "pain catastrophizing" could be assessed any better than, say, Thetan load, or something like that.

It isn't just the obsessive reliance on questionnaires that is problematic, it's that they are so bad and poorly interpreted with no sense or reason.

 

There are real documented cases of people who's physiology prevent them from feeling any pain at all. Is this also an issue that is amenable to training -- teaching them to feel pain when it would mean helping them prevent injury?

Yet for those whose physiology has somehow modulated to experiencing more frequent more intense pain, somehow this is psychological and is 'catastrophising'.

As usual these studies always say so much more about the authors than their subjects.

 

I am going to deem the term "pain catastrophizing" in reports, from now on, as "increased pain level."

Therefore, it does makes sense that increased pain levels make a person w/FM adverse to walking when what she/he should be doing is working to decrease the pain level by a hot bath, meds, lying on heating pads, etc.

Duh.

 

Can they stop picking on women in all the "research" of this type - pretty please.

 

Is it in any way possible in this context to distinguish between ‘pain catastrophizing’ and accurate insight into your body’s pain responses?

 

I've never understood how anyone could accurately assess this.

 

Yeah, whenever anyone is complaining *too much about their pain, they are catastrophizing. Also, when it interferes with life, it is deemed catatrophizing.

*too much = annoying to clinician-researchers or anyone in particular or no one in particular.

 

Can I go and stamp on the legs of the authors please, make sure they don't get supplied with pain relief, and see how pain interferes with their lives.