OBJECTIVE: We investigated the association of physical/sexual
abuse to pain description, coping, psychological distress, and
health-care utilization in a heterogeneous sample of chronic pain
patients. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, retrospective design was
used. Patients were categorized as abused (n = 22) or nonabused (n =
58) based on responses to a valid and reliable sexual/physical abuse
questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain description (Visual Analog
Scale measures of pain intensity and frequency, and the McGill Pain
Questionnaire); coping ability and attributional style (Functional
Interference Estimate, Self-Control Schedule, Pain Locus of Control
Scale); psychological distress (SCL-90-R Global Severity Index); and a
Health-care utilization measure. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: No
differences between abused and nonabused groups were found for the
pain description or functional interference variables. Compared to the
nonabused group, the abused group had significantly lower Self-Control
Schedule scores, higher Pain Locus of Control Scale Chance Factor
scores, and higher SCL-90-R Global Severity Index scores and was more
likely to use the emergency room for pain symptoms. These results
replicate the findings of previous studies of the effects of abuse in
more specific pain samples and underscore the importance of assessment
of abuse in patients with chronic pain. The data suggest that
interventions which involve coping-skills training or self-control
management of pain may be affected by an abuse history via reduced
perceptions of efficacy, resourcefulness, and beliefs that external
variables are responsible for pain.