Pain is a complex phenomenon, with both medical and
psychological components. The cause of the pain,
its severity and the time elapsed since its onset
are all important, along with the
individual's response to the pain. Although medication
is likely to play a central role in the management of
pain, factors such as stress and depression can also
influence a patient's adaptation to pain.
Even the best medical pain management program may not be as
effective as possible if associated psychological conditions are not
thoroughly addressed. It is these psychological aspects that
the clinical psychologist deals with when assessing a patient's
pain and making recommendations for intervention.
Although this profile is not intended as a substitute for
a detailed evaluation by a trained and licensed clinician, it may
help you gain insight into some of the important characteristics
of pain.
The questions which ask about the perception of pain use a
simplified five-step scale from the first step, no pain, to the
fifth step, corresponding to the worst pain imaginable, pain
sufficiently intense that it results in complete incapacitation.
The second step corresponds to mild pain, which can be ignored, at
least for some reasonable interval of time. The third step,
moderate pain, corresponds to pain sufficiently severe that the
person's ability to complete tasks is compromised. The pain
corresponding to the fourth step is sufficiently severe to
interfere with concentration and may interfere
with the patient's ability to meet his or her basic needs.
Please answer each of the following questions as honestly as possible.
Pick the answer which most accurately describes your situation.
Then go to the summary, which will include a listing of
your answers to the questions. If you have provided sufficient
information about your pain, it will also give you a brief
discussion about some of the characteristics of your pain
and their implications for intervention.
