Cognitive Distortions and Pain Perception: A Quantitative Study among Female Migraine Sufferers

Migraine is not only influenced by neurological factors but also by psychological factors that fuel Pain Perception which might lead to Cognitive Distortions. The Aim of this study is to understand the Cognitive Distortions and Pain Perception and its relation to Migraine Intensity in working and non-working women. Given the higher prevalence of migraine in women, the study explored whether employment status, family history, marital status influences Cognitive Distortions and Pain Perception. The Objectives were: (i) To measure and compare Pain Perception in participants experiencing Cognitive Distortions. (ii) To examine the influence of family history in women experiencing migraine. (iii) To examine the influence of work status in women experiencing migraine. (iv) To examine the influence of marital status in women experiencing migraine. A total of 100 participants were taken (50 working and 50 non-working women) using convenience sampling and snowball sampling within Kerala as the study was conducted online. “Cognitive Distortions Scale” developed by Briere (2000) and “Pain Perception” by Uday K. Sinha (2000) both consisting of 40 items each were used. The data were analyzed using Karl Pearson correlation, linear regression and t-test. The findings highlight significant impact of these Distortions on Pain Perception and Migraine Intensity, emphasizing their role in experience of migraine in women. Given these insights, future research should continue exploring this relationship to better understand underlying mechanisms and develop targeted interventions. The results indicate that Cognitive Distortions significantly influence Pain Perception and Migraine Intensity. Cognitive Distortion does significantly predict Pain Perception individuals in case of both the predictors i.e., preoccupation with danger, hopelessness and marriage. There is a significant difference between individuals with and without family history in terms of pain persistence and negative emotionality. Married and unmarried women differ significantly.