Behaviour research and therapy
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Anxiety sensitivity (AS) plays an important role in the cognitive, affective and behavioral profiles of patients with chronic pain related to musculoskeletal injury. However, investigators have not considered whether these findings extend to patients with other classes of chronic pain. The primary purpose of this investigation was to address this issue in 72 patients with recurring headaches who completed a self-report questionnaire inventory during a treatment visit to an outpatient neurology clinic. ⋯ Lifestyle changes attributed to headache were, on the other hand, predicted by headache severity, physiological and cognitive anxiety and escape/avoidance behavior. These results provide further evidence of the important association between AS and fear responses of patients with chronic pain syndromes. Implications and future directions are discussed.