Fear of pain and pain intensity: Meta-analysis and systematic review.

The fear avoidance model (FAM) represents a cognitive-behavioral explanatory approach for pain chronification. The core assumption is that fear of pain (FOP) following an acute pain experience facilitates the development of pain chronification, disability, and receding functionality. Thus, the model predicts a positive association between FOP and pain intensity in pain patients, which was frequently investigated; however, results were...