title: Alexithymia and Early Maladaptive Schemas in chronic pain patients.
abstract: Psychological factors have an impact on subjective pain experience. The aim of this study was to explore the occurrence of alexithymia and Early Maladaptive Schemas in a sample of 271 first visit chronic pain patients of six pain clinics. The patients completed the study questionnaire consisting of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20, the Finnish version of the Young Schema Questionnaire short form-extended, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, and pain variables. Alexithymic patients scored higher on Early Maladaptive Schemas and had more pain intensity, pain disability and depression than nonalexithymic patients. Both alexithymia and depression correlated significantly with most Early Maladaptive Schemas. The co-occurrence of alexithymia, Early Maladaptive Schemas and depression seems to worsen the pain experience. Screening of alexithymia, depression and Early Maladaptive Schemas may help to plan psychological treatment interventions for chronic pain patients.
authors.affiliation: Pain Clinic, Raahe Hospital, Raahe, Finland.
authors.forename: Anita S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Saariaho
authors.affiliation: Pain Clinic, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Tom H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Saariaho
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere Yliopisto, Finland.|Department of Psychiatry, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Aino K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Mattila
authors.affiliation: Unit of Adolescent Psychiatry, Satakunta Hospital District, Pori, Finland.
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karukivi
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere Yliopisto, Finland.
authors.forename: Matti I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Joukamaa
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000523:psychology*; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Chronic pain; Early Maladaptive Schema; alexithymia; depression