Persistent pain stigmatisation from healthcare staff.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Does the psychological flexibility of healthcare staff influence levels of stigma towards people with persistent pain?
IRAS ID
306975
Contact name
Laura Room
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Teesside University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 30 days
Research summary
Although there is a growing acceptance of biopsychosocial explanations of persistent pain, individuals experiencing this problem often also experience stigma from those around them, including healthcare professionals. More understanding around the psychological processes associated with stigma and persistent pain is needed. The model of psychological flexibility has been offered to better understand stigma, with literature suggesting that highly psychologically flexible individuals are less likely to stigmatise others. Research into the relationship between stigma and psychological flexibility is growing, however, it seems that it has not yet been applied to persistent pain contexts. The aim of the proposed project is to understand the model of psychological flexibility in relation to stigma towards persistent pain in a healthcare staff population. An experimental design using vignettes (case studies) will be employed and levels of stigmatisation and psychological flexibility will be measured. A series of moderation and mediation analyses will then be conducted to analyse healthcare staff responses, understanding the relationship between stigma and psychological flexibility in relation to persistent pain. It is hypothesised that psychological flexibility will influence the amount of stigma given to individuals with persistent pain from healthcare staff. As psychological flexibility is modifiable, it is hoped that understanding this process in relation to persistent pain may support ways to increase psychological flexibility in healthcare staff, hopefully reducing stigmatising responses towards persistent pain in this population.
REC name
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REC reference
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