title: Overlap of cognitive concepts in chronic widespread pain: an exploratory study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A wide variety of cognitive concepts have been shown to play an important role in chronic widespread pain (CWP). Although these concepts are generally considered to be distinct entities, some might in fact be highly overlapping. The objectives of this study were to (i) to establish inter-relationships between self-efficacy, cognitive coping styles, fear-avoidance cognitions and illness beliefs in patients with CWP and (ii) to explore the possibility of a reduction of these cognitions into a more limited number of domains.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baseline measurement data of a prospective cohort study of 138 patients with CWP were used. Factor analysis was used to study the associations between 16 different cognitive concepts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Factor analysis resulted in three factors: 1) negative emotional cognitions, 2) active cognitive coping, and 3) control beliefs and expectations of chronicity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Negative emotional cognitions, active cognitive coping, control beliefs and expectations of chronicity seem to constitute principal domains of cognitive processes in CWP. These findings contribute to the understanding of overlap and uniqueness of cognitive concepts in chronic widespread pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Research, Reade, Centre for Rehabilitation and Rheumatology (formerly Jan van Breemen Institute), Amsterdam, Netherlands. a.d.rooij@reade.nl
authors.forename: Aleid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Rooij
authors.forename: Martijn P M
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Steultjens
authors.forename: Petra C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Siemonsma
authors.forename: Joke A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vollebregt
authors.forename: Leo D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Roorda
authors.forename: Willemine
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Beuving
authors.forename: Joost
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dekker
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D004924:Escape Reaction; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055809:Illness Behavior; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020377:Self Efficacy