Honors Theses
Date of Award
5-10-2025
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Todd Smitherman
Second Advisor
Aaron Lee
Third Advisor
Stefan Schulenberg
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
Migraine is a debilitating neurological disorder affecting millions worldwide, with substantial societal and personal burdens. Psychological factors, particularly fear of pain, may influence migraine experience by impacting perceptions of headache triggers. This study investigates the relationship between fear of pain and perceived triggers in individuals with migraine. A sample of 2,959 young adults meeting diagnostic criteria for migraine completed a structured diagnostic interview and self-report measures of fear of pain, headache-related disability, and beliefs about headache triggers (which stimuli triggered headache, most important triggers, and likelihood of developing a headache upon exposure to the most important trigger [trigger potency]). Linear regression was used to quantify relationships between fear of pain and trigger beliefs. Chronic migraine sufferers reported greater fear of pain, disability, number of triggers, and trigger potency compared to those with episodic migraine. Though the effect was small, fear of pain significantly predicted higher perceived trigger potency (R2 = 3.4%, p < .001), even after controlling for headache frequency (R2 change = 1.8%, p < .001). Higher fear of pain was also associated with a greater number of triggers endorsed. Findings suggest that fear of pain plays an important role in beliefs about migraine triggers, potentially influencing avoidance behaviors and increasing migraine burden. Addressing fear of pain through cognitive-behavioral strategies or therapeutic exposure may improve migraine management and reduce disability.
Recommended Citation
Basha, Sarah and Smitherman, Todd, "Fear of Pain in Migraine: Psychological Factors in Perceptions of Headache Triggers" (2025). Honors Theses. 3195.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3195
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
