Peer-reviewed article
Relationship to physical and psychological pain as factors of deviant behavior in Russian female adolescents
Rasskazova E, Sadovnichaja V ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined how female adolescents in Russia relate to physical and psychological pain, and whether this relates to deviant behaviours. The research surveyed 204 girls aged 13-21 about alcohol use, drug use, aggression, suicidal thoughts and emotional difficulties, alongside their experiences of pain and feelings of belonging. Girls who felt emotionally burdened and isolated reported more aggression, substance use and suicidal thoughts, with pain-related thoughts playing a role in aggressive behaviour.
Key points
- Older female adolescents reported higher substance use but lower aggressive behaviour; suicidal ideations were unrelated to age
- Perceived burdensomeness and emotional difficulties strongly correlated with alcohol use (r=.25-.29), aggression (r=.37-.42) and suicidal ideations (r=.64-.84)
- Thwarted belongingness was associated with suicidal ideations (r=.50) and aggressive behaviour (r=.26)
- Catastrophic thinking about physical pain (magnification and helplessness) related to alcohol use and aggression
- After controlling for psychological pain, only aggressive behaviour remained significantly associated with catastrophizing about physical pain (r=.15-.22)
Limitations
This is a cross-sectional correlational study with no comparison group, so it cannot establish causation or determine whether pain perceptions cause deviant behaviour or vice versa. The study cannot tell us whether interventions targeting pain catastrophizing would reduce deviant behaviour in this population.
Abstract
Introduction Borderline personality manifests in female adolescence and youth by higher frequency of deviant behaviors and suicidal ideations. Psychological models suggests that both perception and relationship to physical pain (Joiner, 2005, O’Connor, Kirtley, 2018, Galynker, 2017) as well as psychological pain (Eisenberger et al., 2003) could increase the risk. Objectives This study concentrates on the relationship between relationship to physical and psychological pain and reported deviant behavior in female adolescents. Methods 204 female adolescents (13-21 years old) filled checklist appraising alcohol use, drug use, aggressive behavior, suicidal ideations and emotional difficulties (Cronbach’s alphas .67-.89), Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (Van Orden et al., 2012), Discomfort Intolerance Scale (Schmidt et al., 2006), The Pain Catastrophizing Scale (Sullivan et al., 1995). Results Elder females more frequently reported substance use (r=.23-.28) and less frequently aggressive behavior (r=-.19) while suicidal ideations were unrelated to age. Females reporting higher perceived burdensomeness and emotional difficulties also reported higher alcohol use (r=.25-.29), aggressive behavior (r=.37-.42) and suicidal ideations (r=.64-.84). Thwarted belongingness correlated with suicidal ideations (r=.50) and aggressive behavior (r=.26). Higher alcohol use was associated with catastrophizing of pain in the form of magnification and helplessness (r=.17) while suicidal ideations and aggressive behavior were related to ruminations, magnification and helplessness (r=.23-.33). Only correlations between aggression and pain catastrophizing remained significant after statistical control of psychological pain (r=.15-.22). Conclusions After control for psychological pain, only aggressive behavior is related to catastrophizing of physical pain. Study is supported by Russian science Foundation, project 22-28-01524. Disclosure Study is supported by Russian Science Foundation, project 22-28-01524.