Donoghue, Alexandra R. (2019) Attachment Anxiety, Alexithymia and Pain Catastrophising. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
This research sought to clarify the psychological contributors to pain catastrophizing. Pain catastrophizing has been broadly defined as an exaggerated negative orientation to actual, or anticipated, pain. It comprises elements of magnification, rumination, and helplessness. Over the past two decades, pain catastrophizing has been suggested to be one of the strongest predictors of pain related outcomes. Theoretical and empirical evidence has found that attachment anxiety and alexithymia are related. Previous research has also found that they are both related to pain catastrophizing. Attachment anxiety originates from disruptions within the parent-child relationship. It is a relating style that features insecurity regarding the availability and responsiveness of others. Alexithymia is a personality construct characterised by the subclinical inability to identify and describe emotions experienced by one's self or others. These associations were explored in this analysis. This research hypothesised that alexithymia mediates the relationship between attachment anxiety and pain catastrophizing. The study’s sample included 241 predominantly Australian residents 18 years or older. Participants completed an online survey comprising a demographic questionnaire; the Experience in Close Relationships-Revised Questionnaire (ECR-R); the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS); and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). Results indicated that the relationship between anxious attachment and pain catastrophizing was partially mediated by alexithymia. There may be implications for clinical interventions targeting pain catastrophizing from the findings of this study.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Zahra Izadikhah |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 01 Sep 2025 02:55 |
| Last Modified: | 01 Sep 2025 02:55 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | pain catastrophizing; alexithymia; attachment anxiety |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52277 |
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