Abstract

Anxiety Sensitivity (AS) is typically defined as the fear of anxiety symptoms (including thoughts and somatic sensations) arising from beliefs that they have harmful social, physical, or psychological consequences. Catastrophizing over the potential negative consequences of pain appears to be common, as does fear and escape/avoidances. So this study investigated the effects of AS on pain-related fear and catastrophic thoughts (negative expectancies) and escape/avoidance. Patients with chronic pain (N=212) completed measures of AS, pain severity, pain-related fear and catastrophic thoughts, and escape/avoidance. Structural equation modeling supported the prediction that AS exacerbates negative expectancies and promotes pain related escape/avoidance. Also it was found that AS directly promoted pain related escape/avoidance, consistent with the prediction. This effect was significant when controlling the influence on pain severity. These results suggest that AS plays an important role in negative expectancies of pain and escape/avoidance and in the maintenance of pain behavior and related disability in people with chronic pain. The implications of these results are discussed.