Pain anxiety, acceptance, and outcomes among individuals with HIV and chronic pain: A preliminary investigation

The current study investigated the role of during treatment changes in pain anxiety in the relation between during treatment changes in pain acceptance and chronic pain outcomes. Participants included 45 (15 women) adults (Mage = 50.42, SD = 7.69) who were HIV positive and experienced chronic pain. They were offered 12 weekly, 90-min group CBT sessions to increase understanding about chronic pain and to improve coping skills. Four hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine the mediating role of treatment changes in pain anxiety in the relation between treatment changes in pain acceptance and chronic pain outcomes. Results suggest that increases in pain acceptance during treatment were associated with decreased levels of pain anxiety during treatment, as well as decreases in pain-related impairment at treatment completion. Furthermore, decreases in pain anxiety during treatment were associated with decreases in pain-related impairment at treatment completion. Finally, treatment changes in pain anxiety were found to partially mediate the association between treatment changes in pain acceptance and pain-related impairment at treatment completion. Results are discussed within the context of better understanding the processes of change within a CBT model for chronic pain patients.

► Factors influencing chronic pain outcomes among HIV patients in CBT treatment.
► Treatment increases in pain acceptance lead to decreased pain impairment.
► Treatment decreases in pain anxiety are associated with decreased pain impairment.
► Changes in pain anxiety mediate the relation between pain acceptance and impairment.