Do Cognitive Abilities Influence Physical and Mental Fatigue in Patients with Chronic Pain after Walking According to a Clinical Guideline for Physical Exercise?

Patricia Catala, Lorena Gutierrez, Carmen Écija, Ángel Serrano del Moral and Cecilia Peñacoba
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Patricia Catala: Department of Psychology, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Avda. de Atenas s/n, 28922 Madrid, Spain
Lorena Gutierrez: Department of Psychology, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Avda. de Atenas s/n, 28922 Madrid, Spain
Carmen Écija: Department of Psychology, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Avda. de Atenas s/n, 28922 Madrid, Spain
Ángel Serrano del Moral: General Surgery and Digestive Surgery Service, Hospital Universitario de Fuenlabrada, 28944 Madrid, Spain
Cecilia Peñacoba: Department of Psychology, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Avda. de Atenas s/n, 28922 Madrid, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 24, 1-9

Abstract: The objective of this study is to explore the mediator role of cognitive fusion and chronic pain acceptance on the effects that the walking pattern, following an established clinical guideline for physical exercise, can have on fatigue (physical and mental) in patients with chronic pain. The sample consisted of a total of 231 women with fibromyalgia with a mean age of 56.91 years (Standard Deviation SD = 9.58 years, range 30−78 years). The results show a significant indirect effect of the walking pattern on both physical and mental fatigue through cognitive fusion and chronic pain acceptance. Specifically, walking predicted less cognitive fusion, which predicted greater chronic pain acceptance, which, in turn, predicted less mental and physical fatigue (Beta-B- = −0.04, Standard Error SE = 0.02, 95% Confidence Interval 95% CI = [−0.09, −0.02]; B = −0.09, SE = 0.05, 95% CI = [−0.22, −0,15], respectively). It can be concluded that the walking pattern is linked to both physical and mental fatigue through cognitive defusion and chronic pain acceptance. These cognitive abilities would allow fibromyalgia patients to perceive an improvement in both physical and mental fatigue by carrying out the walking pattern. Emphasizing the training of cognitive defusion and pain acceptance would improve the adherence of these patients to walking.

Keywords: physical fatigue; mental fatigue; cognitive fusion; pain acceptance; walking; fibromyalgia; chronic pain (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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