title: Theory of Mind and Emotional Awareness in Chronic Somatoform Pain Patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed at investigating whether chronic pain patients are impaired in Theory of Mind (ToM), or Emotional Awareness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty inpatients suffering from chronic somatoform pain, as well as thirty healthy controls matched for age, sex, and education were recruited. ToM abilities were measured using the Frith-Happé animation task, in which participants interpret video-clips depicting moving geometric forms that mimic social interactions. The responses given were scored for appropriateness and the degree of inferred intentionality according to established protocols. Emotional awareness was measured using the Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale (LEAS), for which participants provide written descriptions of feelings in imaginary emotional situations. Standardized scoring was performed to capture the number and quality of emotional terms used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Responses lengths were similar in both groups and for both tasks. Patients attained significantly lower intentionality but not appropriateness scores when interpreting ToM interactions. No significant group differences were found when interpreting goal directed interactions. Emotional awareness scores were significantly lower in patients compared to healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that chronic pain patients are impaired in mentalizing and emotional awareness. Future studies are needed to determine whether these ToM and emotional awareness deficits contribute to the etiology of somatoform pain and whether addressing these deficits in therapeutic interventions can improve polymodal pain therapy.
authors.affiliation: Neurologie, Lehrstuhl für Neuroimaging, Universitätsklinikum Essen, Hufelandstraße 55, 45147 Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zunhammer
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Universitätsklinikum Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Halski
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Universitätsklinikum Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eichhammer
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Universitätsklinikum Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Busch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000503:physiopathology; D001364:Awareness; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000473:pathology*; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056345:Theory of Mind / Q000502:physiology*