The Communal Coping Model of Pain Catastrophising: Clinical and Research Implications

Pain catastrophising has been broadly defined as an exaggerated negative orientation to actual or anticipated pain comprising elements of rumination, magnification, and helplessness. Hundreds of studies have documented associations between pain catastrophising and adverse pain outcomes, including heightened pain intensity, mental health problems, and disability. This article contrasts different conceptual models that have been advanced to explain how pain catastrophising might impact on pain outcomes. It is argued that traditional “intrapersonal” models of pain catastrophising are overly simplistic and lacking in explanatory power. Research is reviewed showing that interpersonal variables and social context are central determinants of the relation between pain catastrophising and pain outcomes. Discussion addresses the clinical implications of research showing that interpersonal factors underlie the relation between pain catastrophising and adverse pain outcomes. Discussion also addresses the implications of research on the interpersonal dimensions of pain catastrophising for theories of the psychology of pain.