These results indicate that individuals with acute/subacute WAD may present with lesser pain interference associated with a determined pain intensity value when they show greater self-efficacy beliefs. Psychological factors did not mediate the association between pain intensity and expectations of recovery. Kinesiophobia partially mediated the association between self-efficacy and pain catastrophizing. The results revealed that self-efficacy beliefs partially mediated the association between pain intensity and pain interference. BN analyses were conducted to analyse the mediating effects of psychological factors on the association between pain intensity and pain-related outcomes.

Pain intensity, pain interference, pessimism, expectations of recovery, pain catastrophizing, and self-efficacy beliefs were assessed. This was a cross-sectional study conducted on a sample of 173 participants with acute/subacute WAD.

This study also explored the potential mediating pathways (if any) between different psychosocial factors. To evaluate whether a set of pre-accident demographic, accident-related, post-accident treatment and psychosocial factors assessed in people with acute/subacute whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) mediate the association between pain intensity and: (1) pain interference and (2) expectations of recovery, using Bayesian networks (BNs) analyses.

Intensity pain