Doctorate in Clinical Psychology : Main Research Portfolio

: 1) Are Psychological Interventions effective in the management of outcomes for Chronic Pelvic Pain? A Systematic Review ;2) Introduction of Family/Carer Psychoeducation Sessions alongside a Dialectical Behavioural Therapy Programme ; 3) Examining factors influencing the development and maintenance of non-specific abdominal pain.

Abstract

Background Non-specific abdominal pain (NSAP) involves recurrent episodes of acute abdominal pain, however often, no organic cause can be found for this. In other pain disorders, psychological variables including anxiety and depression can contribute to and maintain pain severity. Other cognitive and psychosocial variables have also been shown to impact psychological and physical outcomes in pain populations. However, NSAP research is scarce within pain literature, therefore little is known about what psychosocial factors influence this condition. Design The study used an online cross-sectional survey-based design. Methods One-hundred and fifty-nine (n=159) participants were recruited and took part in online questionnaires. Data from ninety-nine participants (n=99) using six questionnaires was used in final analysis to assess the relative contributions of the variables anxiety sensitivity, body vigilance, pain catastrophising and trauma to outcomes of anxiety, depression, and pain in NSAP participants. Correlational analyses and multiple regression modelling assessed the relationship between all variables. Results Correlational analysis showed significant positive relationships between almost all study variables. Multiple regression analysis showed: trauma and pain catastrophising contributed 6.3% (p <.001) and 3.6% (p <.001) to depression; respectively. Anxiety sensitivity and body vigilance contributed 11.5%, p < .001) and 2.6%, p < .05) to anxiety; respectively. Trauma, body vigilance and pain catastrophising contributed 3.3% (p<.001), 1.4% (p <.001) and 49.9% (p <.001) to pain severity; respectively.

Date of Award	10 Oct 2022
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bath
Supervisor	Jo Daniels (Supervisor)