Analysis of psychological factors in benign chronic pain

A growing body of studies stresses the importance of psychological factors in the pain process. The Lazarus stress model has been transferred to the chronic pain field to study these factors. This model suggests that when there is a potentially stressful event, anxiety levels depend on the cognitive evaluation of pain stimulus and the strategies used to cope with it. Psychological pain factors which have recently appeared in the literature are analysed from the perspective of the Lazarus model. In the second part, interdisciplinary techniques used in the chronic pain field are described. Finally, health workers are encouraged to use the Lazarus model as a guide for the design of future chronic pain therapies. © 2005, Facultat de Psicologia Universitat de Barcelona.