Pain Catastrophizing and Its Association with Military Medical Disability Among US Active Duty Service Members with Chronic Predominately Musculoskeletal Pain: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis.

A PCS score cut point of 20 distinguishes between high versus low likelihood of disability among service members. Those with high baseline PCS score had twice the likelihood of disability than those with low scores. Service members who decreased their PCS score from high to low during pain specialty care had lower likelihood of disability. Prospective research is needed to determine if treatments that lower pain catastrophizing yield reduced likelihood of subsequent disability.