title: Pain Catastrophizing Predicts Menstrual Pain Ratings in Adolescent Girls with Chronic Pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The current study aimed to explore relationships among self-reported menstrual pain ratings, acute laboratory pain, pain catastrophizing, and anxiety sensitivity in a sample of girls without pain (No Pain group) and girls with a chronic pain condition (Chronic Pain group).
  
  
  METHODS
  A laboratory at an off-campus Medical School office building.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-four postmenarchal girls (43 No Pain, 41 Chronic Pain) ages 10-17 participated in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  All participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing menstrual pain, pain catastrophizing, and anxiety sensitivity and completed a cold pressor task. Pain intensity during the task was rated on a 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain possible) numeric rating scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After controlling for age, average menstrual pain ratings (without medication) were significantly correlated with cold pressor pain intensity for the No Pain group only. In the Chronic Pain group, menstrual pain ratings were significantly correlated with pain catastrophizing and anxiety sensitivity. In a multiple linear regression analysis, after controlling for age, only pain catastrophizing emerged as a significant predictor of menstrual pain ratings in the Chronic Pain group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results demonstrate differences in relationships among menstrual pain, acute laboratory pain, and psychological variables in girls with no pain compared with girls with chronic pain. In addition, pain catastrophizing may be a particularly salient factor associated with menstrual pain in girls with chronic pain that warrants further investigation.
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Andrea J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rapkin
authors.forename: Kirsten C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Lung
authors.forename: Laura C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Seidman
authors.forename: Lonnie K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Zeltzer
authors.forename: Jennie C I
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Tsao
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D058443:Catastrophization / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000523:psychology; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires