Observational studyBMJ open2022
Do difficulties in emotional processing predict procedure pain and shape the patient's colonoscopy experience?
Observational study in BMJ open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- The presence and relative abundance of salivary Fusobacterium nucleatum are not associated with colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Scientific reports · 2025Pooled it
- Patient-reported outcomes and measures applied in individuals undergoing colonoscopy surveillance for colorectal cancer: a scoping review.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Fears and pre-colonoscopy anxiety: a scoping review.Revista brasileira de enfermagem · 2026Article
- Propofol alone versus midazolam plus propofol for sedation in outpatient endoscopic procedures: A randomized controlled trial.Journal of research in medical sciences : the official journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences · 2025Article
- "It's a tool, it's got hardships": a qualitative study of patient experience of colonoscopy and implications for trauma-informed care.Therapeutic advances in gastroenterology · 2025Article
- Impact of social-psychological factors on anxiety before gastrointestinal endoscopy and quality of life.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Article
- A Patient-Centered Approach to Communication during Endoscopic Procedures: The Importance of Providing Information to Patients.European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education · 2024Article
- Patient Anxiety in Endoscopy: A Comparative Analysis of Single vs. Dual Procedure Effects.Cureus · 2024Article
- Bowel Preparation Burden, Rectal Pain and Abdominal Discomfort: Perspective of Participants Undergoing CT Colonography and Colonoscopy.Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP · 2024Article
- Music Therapy as a Tool for Alleviating Anxiety and Pain in Patients Undergoing Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.Noise & healthArticle
- A scale to measure the worry level in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy with sedation: Development, reliability, and validity.International journal of clinical and health psychology : IJCHPArticle
- Causes of intraprocedural discomfort in colonoscopy: a review and practical tips.Therapeutic advances in gastrointestinal endoscopyReview
- The Effect of a Pre-Colonoscopy Education Program on Fear and Anxiety of Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial Study.Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery researchArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesPain and fear of colonoscopy are inter-related; they make the colonoscopy experience unpleasant and impede adherence to colorectal cancer screening and prevention campaigns. According to previous research, fear and pain have been found to depend on patients' maladaptive cognitions and exaggerated emotional responses. The present study investigated whether emotional processing difficulties predicted colonoscopy pain and the associated catastrophising thoughts.
designProspective, observational, blinded.
methodA sample of 123 patients was assessed for specific emotional processing difficulties (ie, suppression of emotions, unprocessed emotions, failure to control emotions, avoidance of emotional triggers and impoverished emotional experience) and anxiety-related variables (ie, worry, anxiety and depression) before colonoscopy. A trained medical doctor rated patients' behavioural manifestations of pain during colonoscopy. After complete recovery from sedation, the patients rated the endoscopy experience using perceived pain and situation-specific pain catastrophising scales.
resultsAbout half of the patients were above the cut-off for anxiety before the procedure. Notwithstanding sedation, behavioural manifestations of pain during colonoscopy indicated probable or moderate pain for about one-third of the patients. Failure to control emotions, poor emotional experience and avoiding emotional triggers were positively correlated with behavioural manifestations of pain, self-reported pain and pain catastrophising. Regression analyses, controlling for gender, age, colonoscopy experience and sedation, revealed that avoidance of emotional triggers uniquely contributed to predicting pain outcomes.
conclusionsEarly identification of emotional processing difficulties associated with pain catastrophising can help define personalised psychological preparation paths to manage negative emotions in patients who fear colonoscopy pain.
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