Psychological, clinical and socio-demographic predictors of pain catastrophizing in chronic pain patients: insights from a cross-sectional study

Background. Considering the complexities surrounding chronic pain and its profound psychological impact, including the role of maladaptive pain beliefs like pain catastrophizing, it becomes essential to delve deeper into the factors contributing to this phenomenon. The aim was to study the characteristics of pain catastrophizing in the Ukrainian population of patients with chronic pain. Materials and methods. This research was a cross-sectional observational study involving 150 participants suffering from chronic pain who consented to take part. A set of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as the results of some psychological assessments, such as the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, were used to study and describe the structure and correlates of pain catastrophizing in patients with chronic pain. To assess pain intensity, the visual analog scale was used. Results. The study identified significant associations between pain catastrophizing and various socio-demographic factors, with females exhibiting higher levels of rumination, magnification, and helplessness compared to males. Notably, marital status and financial stability were found to influence catastrophizing levels, while psychological factors, such as anxiety and depression, also demonstrated a strong correlation with pain catastrophizing. Additionally, poorer sleep quality and a higher number of pain localizations were linked to increased catastrophizing, highlighting the complexity of these interrelationships. Conclusions. These findings emphasize the need for early intervention strategies aimed at reducing pain catastrophizing among chronic pain patients to improve treatment outcomes. Future research should explore targeted management approaches that incorporate socio-demographic, clinical and psychological factors influencing pain catastrophizing to enhance therapeutic efficacy and patient quality of life.