Identifying Latent Profiles of Healthy Adults’ Biopsychosocial Pain Concepts

Lenhof, Catherina; Dukek, Laura; Wickering, Linda; Hitschler, Lena; Schneider, Michael; Hechler, Tanja

Abstract

Objectives: To develop effective, individualized pain science education for people with chronic (primary) pain, underlying pain concepts, defined as the understanding of what pain is, what function it serves, and what processes are thought to underpin it, are essential. Pain concepts and misconcepts of chronic pain can influence its development and maintenance. This study explores whether profiles of healthy adults’ biopsychosocial pain concepts can be identified using a newly developed tool, the biopsychosocial pain concept matrix (BiPS matrix), and if adults assigned to the profiles differ regarding sociodemographic and pain-related variables. Methods: N = 229 healthy adults (75% female, M = 22.66 years, SD = 3.61) participated in an online survey. The BiPS matrix assesses biopsychosocial pain concepts through 40 items on the biological, psychological, and social domains combined with the five content dimensions of the common-sense model of self-regulation. Results: A latent profile analysis (LPA) revealed a five-profile solution with distinct patterns of biopsychosocial pain concepts. Participants assigned to Profile 1 demonstrated strongly developed biopsychosocial pain concepts, Profile 2 showed weakly developed concepts, and Profiles 3 to 5 showed different levels of pain concepts. General and neurophysiological pain knowledge differed between profiles, with higher scores being associated with Profile 1 and lower scores with Profile 5. There were no differences in sociodemographic variables in adults assigned to the different profiles. Discussion: Results provide preliminary evidence for distinct profiles of biopsychosocial pain concepts among healthy adults. Further research should replicate these findings in clinical samples to better understand biopsychosocial pain concepts and their use for individualized pain science education.