Cognitive defusion and chronic pain- 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Cognitive defusion and the Self-as-Context in service users with chronic pain
IRAS ID
218882
Contact name
Maria Parissi
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy suggests that the way people relate to their thoughts is more important than the actual content of their thoughts. The model suggests that there are two main ways in which people relate to their thoughts. People may view their thoughts as a transient internal event, and be able to distinguish between their self and the content of their thoughts. This is thought to be linked to a secure sense of self. Alternatively, people may become attached to their thought content and identify with whatever this content may be. This process is called cognitive fusion, within the ACT model, and is thought to be linked to a more compromised sense of self.
A group of service users with chronic pain (N=~30) will be asked to complete a set of self-report questionnaires and a computer-based task, the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP; Barnes-Holmes et al., 2006). The questionnaires will measure cognitive fusion, experiential avoidance, acceptance and action, psychological distress, self-esteem and social desirability. The IRAP will also measure cognitive fusion, in an implicit way, and look at whether participants are able to separate between themselves and the content of their thoughts, or tend to become attached to this content. Participants will be recruited through a mental health service for people with physical health conditions and will initially be approached by a member of staff in this service. They will be provided with a Participant Information Sheet and will be informed that their decision to participate in the study will incur no changes to their current or future treatment.
This study will aim to investigate whether people, who become attached to the content of their thoughts, experience high psychological distress and/or low self-esteem. It will look at whether the IRAP will provide an implicit way of assessment that is more reliable and effective than self-report questionnaires.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 5
REC reference
17/WS/0078
Date of REC Opinion
10 Apr 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion