The Role of Pain Catastrophizing in Cognitive Functioning Among Veterans With a History of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of pain catastrophizing (PC) in neuropsychological functioning in veterans with a history of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).

PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-nine Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans evaluated in the post-acute phase following mild TBI.

METHODS: Participants underwent psychiatric and TBI clinical interviews, neuropsychological tests, and self-report assessments of PC, pain intensity, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Cognitive functioning composite scores of executive functioning, processing speed, and learning and memory were created. Composites were entered as dependent variables into separate linear regressions to examine relations with PC.

RESULTS: Greater PC was associated with worse executive functioning and processing speed even when controlling for confounding variables.

CONCLUSIONS: One's interpretation of pain, in addition to pain intensity, has implications for cognitive functioning. Future research is encouraged to determine whether adaptive pain coping mechanisms improve cognitive functioning or, alternatively, whether cognitive rehabilitation strategies reduce PC.