Acceptance and psychological outcomes: the mediating role of Catastrophism

Objectives: The present study analyses the relations of Acceptance, as measured by the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ), and psychological outcomes in a sample of patients with fibromyalgia. In particular, the objective is to explore whether the relations of Acceptance with psychological outcomes are mediated by catastrophising tendency. Methods: 49 patients with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia completed the CPAQ, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Pain Anxiety Symptom Scale, and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale. Linear regression analyses were performed to test the hypothesised relations. Results: The tendency to catastrophise mediates the relations between CPAQ scores and anxiety, pain-related anxiety, and depression. Conclusions: The tendency to catastrophise is the mechanism through which Acceptance takes on psychological significance.