Open AccessEmotional awareness and other emotional processes: implications for the assessment and treatment of chronic pain
Author(s) -
Mark A. Lumley,
Shoshana Krohner,
Liyah M Marshall,
Torran C Kitts,
Howard Schubiner,
Brandon C. Yarns
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
pain management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.402
H-Index - 21
eISSN - 1758-1877
pISSN - 1758-1869
DOI - 10.2217/pmt-2020-0081
Subject(s) - psychological intervention , psychosocial , chronic pain , perspective (graphical) , medicine , emotional trauma , psychotherapist , emotional regulation , clinical psychology , emotional exhaustion , psychology , psychiatry , burnout , artificial intelligence , computer science
Emotional awareness (EA) is a key emotional process that is related to the presence and severity of chronic pain (CP). In this report, we describe primary and secondary emotions, discuss the distinction between emotional states and emotional regulation/processing, and summarize theory and research highlighting the significance of EA for CP. We describe ways to assess EA and diagnose centrally-mediated CP, for which emotional processes appear most relevant. We review several psychological interventions designed to enhance EA as well as several broader emotional processing treatments developed to address trauma and psychosocial conflicts underlying many patients' pain. We conclude by offering our perspective on how future integration of emotional processing into pain care could promote recovery from CP.