Perception of pain in patients suffering from endogenous depressions accompanied by non-suicidal autoaggressive behavior

Authors

  • Michail Oleychik Federal State Budgetary Institution Scientific Center for Mental Health, Moscow, Russia
  • Svetlana Kuznetsova Federal State Budgetary Institution Scientific Center for Mental Health, Moscow, Russia; Russian Presidential academy of national economy and public administration, Moscow, Russia
  • Svetlana Strogova Federal State Budgetary Institution Scientific Center for Mental Health, Moscow, Russia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54359/ps.v18i103.1981

Abstract

The article presents the results of an empirical study aimed at examining pain perception in adolescents and young adults suffering from endogenous depression accompanied by non-suicidal self-injurious behavior (NSSI). The relevance of this issue is determined by the growing interest in psychological practice in preventing self-harming and suicidal behaviors among various populations, including patients with depression, as well as by the lack of research on the relationship between pain perception and the severity of non-suicidal self-injurious behavior in cases of endogenous depression. Research hypotheses. (1) Adolescent and young adult patients with depression would exhibit greater fear of pain and lower tolerance for unpleasant physical sensations compared to respondents in the control group, with the highest levels expected among patients with depression and self-harm. (2) Patients with endogenous depression and self-harm would show higher scores of feeling burdened and feeling impaired belonging compared to patients without self-harm. The study involved 194 participants (137 females) aged 17–25 years (M = 20.19, SD = 3.37). Participants were divided into three groups: (1) patients with endogenous depression and NSSI, (2) patients with endogenous depression without NSSI, and (3) a control group. The following instruments were used: the Fear of Pain Questionnaire–Short Form, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire, and the Discomfort Intolerance Scale. Participants with depression and self-harm showed significantly higher scores on several scales, including Fear of Severe Pain, Fear of Minor Pain, Total Fear of Pain, Total Pain Catastrophizing, Pain-Related Anxiety, Helplessness, Perceived Burdensomeness, Discomfort Avoidance, and Thwarted Belongingness, compared to the control group. Despite similar general attitudes toward pain in both clinical groups, the emotional responses associated with pain differed, particularly in the Perceived Burdensomeness scale values. The findings indicate that with a similar attitude to pain among the respondents of both clinical groups, the emotional attitude associated with this phenomenon may differ significantly, which is manifested in the values of the “Feeling of burden" scale.

 

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Author Biographies

  • Michail Oleychik, Federal State Budgetary Institution Scientific Center for Mental Health, Moscow, Russia

    Junior Researcher at the Department of Medical Psychology at the Federal State Budgetary Institution Scientific Center for Mental Health, 34 Kashirskoe highway, Postgraduate student at the Department of Neuro- and Pathopsychology at Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.

  • Svetlana Kuznetsova , Federal State Budgetary Institution Scientific Center for Mental Health, Moscow, Russia; Russian Presidential academy of national economy and public administration, Moscow, Russia

    PhD, Associate Professor of the Department of Psychology, Department of Psychology, Institute of Social Sciences, Russian Presidential academy of national economy and public administration, 85 Vernadsky Avenue, building 3, Leading Researcher at the Department of Medical Psychology at the Federal State Budgetary Institution Scientific Center for Mental Health, 34 Kashirskoe highway, Moscow, Russia.

  • Svetlana Strogova , Federal State Budgetary Institution Scientific Center for Mental Health, Moscow, Russia

    PhD, Senior Researcher at the Department of Medical Psychology at the Federal State Budgetary Institution Scientific Center for Mental Health, 34 Kashirskoe highway, Moscow, Russia.

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Published

2025-11-29

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 103 (2025)

Section

Experimental and empirical research

License

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Oleychik, M., Kuznetsova , S., & Strogova , S. (2025). Perception of pain in patients suffering from endogenous depressions accompanied by non-suicidal autoaggressive behavior . Psychological Studies, 18(103), 6. https://doi.org/10.54359/ps.v18i103.1981