Structural Relationship of Anxious Attachment Style with Pain Catastrophizing, Fear of Pain, and Vigilance to Pain in Non-clinical Pain Cases

Abstract

Background: The present study aimed to determine the relationship of anxious attachment style with catastrophizing, fear of pain, and hypervigilance. Methods: The study sample consisted of 210 students at Tabriz University, Iran, with recent acute pain or the lack of pain experience selected by the convenience sampling method. The subjects responded to the Relationship Scales Questionnaire, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Fear of Pain Questionnaire, and Pain Vigilance and Awareness Questionnaire. Data were analyzed by Pearson’s correlation coefficient and structural equation modeling. Results: The findings indicated a significant positive relationship between the subscale of anxious attachment and the variables of catastrophizing, fear of pain, and vigilance to pain, as well as a relationship among the variables. Moreover, the modeling showed a structural relationship between anxious attachment and studied variables. Conclusions: Anxious attachment style acts as a vulnerability factor and a predictor of chronic pain in individuals without pain experience. It means that facing catastrophic pain in people with anxious attachment styles can lead to the fear of pain and hypervigilance.