Exploring the association between patient-drawn pain diagrams and psychological and physical health variables: A large-scale study of patients with low back pain.
Steen HarstedNatalie Hong Siu ChangCasper NimJames J YoungDavid T McNaughtonSøren O'NeillPublished in: European journal of pain (London, England) (2024)
This large-scale study demonstrates that extensive pain areas in pain drawings drawn by LBP patients do not signify psychological distress. Our findings reveal that these pain representations are more closely linked to increased pain intensity, pain duration, and disability rather than being independently associated with psychological factors. Clinicians are encouraged to focus on the association of extensive pain areas with physical symptoms rather than psychological distress during clinical assessments.