Attachment Style in Patients and Caregivers Coping with Chronic Pain
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Attachment Style in Patients and Caregivers Coping with Chronic Pain
IRAS ID
254015
Contact name
James Anderson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
IRAS Project ID, 254015
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 10 days
Research summary
A burdensome and complex condition, chronic pain (CP) affects an estimated 800,000 people in Scotland. Generally defined as pain persisting for longer than three months, CP has evidenced effects on physical and psychological well-being, with substantial economic implications for the NHS.
Recent research asserts that CP’s close associations with physical disability and depression are strongly influenced by a patient’s relationship with their spouse/caregivers. Affirming or punishing responses from partners/caregivers have been shown to influence core pain outcomes such as disability, emotional distress and coping strategies in patients.
In recent years, some have posited that an individual's ‘attachment style’ may be key in understanding these interactions. A stable aspect of personality formed in childhood, an attachment style influences cognition, emotion and behaviour throughout the lifespan. An ‘insecure’ attachment style may carry risks of greater physical symptoms and the utilisation of less helpful coping strategies; a 'secure' attachment style an inverse influence, fostering psychological flexibility. Moreover, there is evidence to suggest that partner/caregiver attachment style reinforces certain CP patient behaviours, either helpful or maladaptive.
Thus, the ultimate objective is to determine whether the attachment styles of patients and caregivers influence the pain experience. Ultimately, understanding patient and partner attachment styles may prove useful in tailoring therapeutic and caregiving approaches to better meet the needs of patients.
The study aims to recruit 122 patient participants (and their partners/caregivers) to participate in an online study. All participants will be required to complete an online questionnaire designed to assess mood, attachment style and other pain-related psychological factors. Recruitment will take place across a number of NHS health boards and third sector services, as well as online social media platforms . Results will be written and submitted for publication in an academic journal, and will attempt disseminate the findings as widely as possible.
REC name
South Central - Hampshire A Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/SC/0234
Date of REC Opinion
19 Jun 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion