Knowing what we are talking about: a conceptual review protocol for pain-related rear

Le résumé fourni par la source

Pain-related fear (PRF) is a widely studied psychological construct in the field of chronic musculoskeletal pain. Despite its prominence in theoretical models, clinical guidelines and intervention research, PRF lacks a clear and agreed-upon definition. The construct functions as an umbrella term encompassing overlapping but non-identical concepts such as kinesiophobia, fear of movement, pain anxiety and fear of re-injury. Different researchers adopt different labels and inclusion criteria, which undermines cumulative knowledge building. Moreover, existing definitions may be shaped by what measurement instruments happen to capture rather than by independent conceptual reasoning. This project aims to address this gap by developing a clear, comprehensive and formally grounded definition of PRF. The expected outcomes are a working definition of PRF and a conceptual map of its related constructs, including their hierarchical relationships. The definition will be submitted to the Decentralised Construct Taxonomy for open dissemination and will form the conceptual foundation for subsequent work on the measurement validity of PRF instruments. This work contributes to the broader goal of improving conceptual clarity and measurement validity in pain psychology and forms the first cycle of a larger project on defining and measuring key psychological concepts in the field of chronic pain.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.