Psychological mechanisms of fear of progression in patients with endometriosis (ENFO-study)

The study focuses on fear of progression (FoP), defined as the realistic fear of the progression of a serious illness. Endometriosis is a chronic, progressive disease. FoP scores are significantly high in endometriosis patients and are associated with increased distress, particularly fatigue and insomnia. FoP is a concept originally developed by Herschbach et al. (2001, 2005) FoP is a concept originally developed by Herschbach et al. (2001, 2005). The study aims to analyse the psychological factors (e.g. vigilance, repetitive thinking, negative affectivity) that predict the development and maintenance of FoP in the context of chronic pain (endometriosis pain). The goal is to gain basic knowledge for the development of targeted psychosocial interventions.