Encyclopedia of Pain

2013 Edition
| Editors: Gerald F. Gebhart, Robert F. Schmidt

Catastrophizing

Reference work entry
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28753-4_577
How to cite

Synonyms

 Catastrophic cognitions;  Catastrophic thinking;  Maladaptive coping

Definition

Pain catastrophizing has been defined as an exaggerated negative “mental set” that is brought to bear during an actual or anticipated pain experience (Sullivan et al. 2001). Pain catastrophizing is considered to be a multidimensional construct that includes elements of  rumination (i.e., excessive focus on pain sensations),  magnification (i.e., exaggerating the threat value of pain sensations), and  helplessness (i.e., perceiving oneself as unable to cope with pain symptoms).

Characteristics

Catastrophizing, Pain, and Disability

To date, numerous studies have been published documenting a relation between catastrophizing and pain. A relation between catastrophizing and pain has been observed in diverse clinical and experimental populations (Sullivan et al. 2001; Quartana et al. 2009). Catastrophizing has been associated with increased pain and  pain behavior, increased use of health-care...

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References

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of PsychologyMcGill UniversityMontrealCanada
  2. 2.Department of SurgeryMcGill University Health CentreMontrealCanada