• Ana I Sánchez, M Pilar Martínez, Elena Miró, and Ana Medina.
• Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain. aisabel@ugr.es
• Span J Psychol. 2011 May 1;14(1):366-73.

ObjectiveThis study analyzes the role of a number of cognitive-affective dimensions in the experience and coping of pain in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). Specifically, it was examined whether anxiety, depression, pain catastrophizing and pain-related anxiety predict the pain perception and the self-efficacy expectations in these patients.MethodSeventy-four fibromyalgia patients were asked to complete a questionnaire survey including the Chronic Pain Self-Efficacy Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale-20, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the Short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire.ResultsSome relevant correlation and predicting patterns were identified. Physiological anxiety was the best predictor of the sensorial dimension of pain. Pain fear was a significant predictor of the pain intensity. Helplessness was the best predictor of the affective dimension of pain, whereas depression was a significant predicting variable of the self-efficacy expectations.ConclusionsThis study shows the relevance of the pain-related anxiety in the pain perception, and of the depression in the self-efficacy expectations in FM patients. Clinical applications of the findings and further research lines in this area are discussed.

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