The aims of this study were to investigate associations between attachment and the presence of persistent pain in women following treatment for breast cancer and to investigate the relationship between attachment, pain and quality of life (QOL) in women with persistent pain.
Women (N=335) previously diagnosed with primary non-metastatic breast cancer completed an online survey with measures of attachment, pain, QOL, demographics, and medical history. Variables were compared between women with (n=128) and without (n=207) persistent pain. For those reporting pain, regression analyses were conducted to investigate relationships between attachment, pain and QOL.
Higher attachment anxiety, but not attachment avoidance, was related to the presence of persistent pain. Among women with persistent pain, associations between attachment anxiety and avoidance and greater pain intensity were lost when pain catastrophizing was considered in analysis. Significant associations between attachment and diminished QOL and perceived effectiveness of pain management were identified in multivariate analysis.
These findings extend the available literature regarding associations between pain and attachment insecurity. In women with pain after breast cancer treatment, attachment anxiety and avoidance were associated with negative pain and QOL outcomes. Further attention regarding the use of attachment-informed approaches in supporting women following breast cancer treatment is indicated.
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 2. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 10 April 2019.
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Outputs of similar age from Psycho-Oncology
#40
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