Date of Award
2019
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A. in Psychology
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Todd A. Smitherman
Second Advisor
Michael Allen
Third Advisor
Scott A. Gustafson
Relational Format
dissertation/thesis
Abstract
Headache disorders are among the most comdisorders of the nervous system, with migraine alone affecting 14% of women and 6% of men worldwide each year. Headache-related self-efficacy, or one’s confidence in preventing and managing headache, is particularly important for prevention and management of headache disorders and predicts response to behavioral and pharmacological treatments. Allodynia, the perception of non-noxious stimuli as painful due to central sensitization, compounds headache-related disability and compromises efficacy of triptans. Therefore, migraineurs with allodynia may perceive headache treatments as less efficacious and thus have reduced perceived headache-related self-efficacy. However, no literature to date has explored the relationship between self-efficacy and allodynia and the possible mediating role of fear of pain. The present study aimed to explore the relationship between allodynia and self-efficacy and whether fear of pain mediated this relationship among a non-treatment seeking sample of young adults with migraine. A significant negative relationship was observed between allodynia and self-efficacy in migraineurs, however the indirect effect of the mediation model was not statistically significant. Results of the present study suggest migraineurs with allodynia experience reduced headache-related self-efficacy, which may be an important target for behavioral intervention.
Recommended Citation
Polk, Ashley N., "Allodynia and Self-Efficacy in Migraineurs" (2019). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1676.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/1676