MJM, Vol 70 Supplement 1 September 2015
Is psychological resilience associated with pain
catastrophizing in male Malaysian Army recruits? A Longitudinal Study
*Malaysian Armed Forces Health Services, Malaysian Armed Forces, **Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health-UM, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, ***Julius Centre University of Malaya, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Training-related injuries are important public health problem. Psychological resilience and pain catastrophizing are possible factors in injury causality mechanism; however, their relationship is poorly understood. This study examines the association between psychological resilience and pain catastrophizing before and during training in Malaysian Army male recruits undergoing basic military training.
Methods: A sample of 611 Malaysian Army male recruits was followed up for six months. They completed Resilience Scale (RS) and Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) instruments at baseline, 3-month and 6-month. Multivariable linear regression models were used to assess RS and PCS association at baseline, while population average fixed effect regression models were used to assess the longitudinal association.
Results: Psychological resilience was negatively associated with pain catastrophizing before training starts (adjusted β = -0.10; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: -0.18, -0.02). During training, each one standard deviation increased of RS scores was longitudinally associated with lower PCS scores (adjusted β = -0.16; 95% CI: -0.29, -0.03). However, training time did not modify the association (p = 0.36), and pain catastrophizing during training was not longitudinally associated with psychological resilience (p = 0.71).
Conclusions: These findings gives further evidence of the relationship between psychological resilience and pain catastrophizing in military recruits undergoing training, and highlight the importance of improving individuals’ coping ability against training stresses in reducing excessive preconception on painful experiences.
Keywords: psychological resilience, pain catastrophizing, military, longitudinal study
