An Investigation of Associations between Pain Catastrophizing and Pain Disability in a Diverse Sample of Persons with Endometriosis

Samantha L Levang, Caroline F. Pukall
Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada : JOGC = Journal d'obstetrique et gynecologie du Canada : JOGC · 2024 · vol. 46(4) , pp. 102340 · doi:10.1016/j.jogc.2023.102340 · PMID:38171483 · W4390480325
article OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 6 in-corpus citations
View on OpenAlex View on PubMed View at publisher
⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-07 ⓘ

This study examined the relationship between pain catastrophizing and pain disability in individuals with endometriosis, finding a positive association between higher catastrophizing scores and greater disability.

One-sentence paraphrase of the abstract; not a substitute for reading it. No clinical advice. How this works

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to investigate associations between components of pain catastrophizing (using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale; rumination, magnification, and helplessness) and components of pain disability (using the Pain Disability Index; family/home responsibilities, recreation, social activity, occupation, sexual behaviour, self-care, life-support activity) in a diverse sample of persons with endometriosis. METHODS: A total of 686 persons with a self-reported clinician-identified diagnosis of endometriosis participated in this study. Two-tailed independent samples t tests were used to examine between-group differences in pain disability and pain catastrophizing among those below and above clinically relevant moderate pain intensity levels. Between-group differences in pain disability among those below and above the clinically relevant pain catastrophizing level, and between-group differences in pain catastrophizing among those below and above the clinically relevant moderate pain disability level, were also analyzed. RESULTS: Experiencing moderate or greater levels of pain intensity was associated with increased levels of pain disability and pain catastrophizing (P < 0.001). Strong associations between clinically relevant levels of pain catastrophizing and increased levels of pain disability (P < 0.001), in addition to between clinically relevant levels of moderate pain disability and increased levels of pain catastrophizing (P < 0.001), were found at both the total and subdomain levels. CONCLUSION: Pain catastrophizing significantly affects pain disability and vice versa. Future research should examine the temporal relationship between catastrophizing and disability to inform intervention practices. Health care providers are strongly encouraged to evaluate the effects of endometriosis in patients using a biopsychosocial framework.

My notes (saved in your browser only)

Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization Catastrophization

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

References (21)

Cited by (6)

Source provenance

europepmc
last seen: 2026-07-31T06:09:14.520117+00:00
openalex
last seen: 2026-06-10T17:14:06.276822+00:00
pubmed
last seen: 2026-07-31T06:07:37.657085+00:00
unpaywall
last seen: 2026-06-13T06:42:57.164913+00:00
License: CC0 · commercial use OK