Central Sensitization (CS) has been proposed as a common pathophysiological mechanism to explain related syndromes for which no specific organic cause can be found. The term Central Sensitivity Syndrome (CSS) has been proposed to describe these poorly understood disorders related to CS. The goal of this investigation was to develop the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI), which identifies key symptoms associated with CSSs, and quantifies the degree of these symptoms. The utility of the CSI, to differentiate among different types of chronic pain patients that presumably have different levels of CS impairment, was then evaluated. Study 1 demonstrated strong psychometric properties (test-retest reliability = 0.817; Cronbach's alpha = 0.879) of the CSI in a cohort of normative subjects. A factor analysis (including both normative and chronic pain subjects) yielded 4 major factors (all related to somatic and emotional symptoms), accounting for 53.4% of the variance in the dataset. In Study 2, the CSI was administered to four groups: fibromyalgia (FM); chronic widespread pain (CWP) without FM; work-related regional chronic low back pain (CLBP); and normative control group. Analyses revealed that the FM patients reported the highest CSI scores, and the normative population the lowest (p<.05). Analyses also demonstrated that the prevalence of previously diagnosed CSSs and related disorders was highest in the FM group and lowest in the normative group (p<.001). Taken together, these two studies demonstrate the psychometric strength, clinical utility, and the initial construct validity of the CSI in evaluating CS-related clinical symptoms in chronic pain populations.

Not only is there a high prevalence of psychopathology in the indigent population, but psychopathology may result in lower patient-perceived outcome scores at one year after a total knee arthroplasty. Even though outcome scores may be worse for patients with psychopathology, our study showed that these patients still benefit, with the same degree of improvement in function.

Due to the partially independent relationship of anxiety and catastrophizing, it is recommended that treatments for chronic pain patients employ techniques addressing both behaviors. The relationship between depression and catastrophizing requires more research since it was observed that their effects were confounded.

Purpose: Utilizing data from an online comprehensive occupational health survey, this study aimed to systematically evaluate the factors most strongly associated with intent-to-quit the profession for public school teachers.Methods: A total of 2,588 teachers from 46 Texas school districts responded to a comprehensive occupational health survey. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify specific demographic, occupational, and health factors associated with intentions to quit the teaching profession within 1 year.Results: Teachers with fewer years' experience and alternative certificates were more likely to quit the profession.Teachers with lower organizational commitment, lower job involvement, lower perceived support, lower job control, poorer school climate, and more school problems indicated higher likelihood of leaving the profession. Poorer mental quality of life, higher levels of stress, and the presence of major depression, panic disorder, anxiety disorder, and somatization disorder were significantly related to higher intentions to quit (all ps < 0.05). The key factors related to intent-to-quit to be low organizational commitment, low job control, female gender, and the presence of major depressive disorder.

Although studies have shown that increases in the frequency of social media use may be associated with increases in depressive symptoms of individuals with depression, the current study aimed to identify specific social media behaviors related to major depressive disorder (MDD). Millennials (N = 504) who actively use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and/or Snapchat participated in an online survey assessing major depression and specific social media behaviors. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify specific social media behaviors associated with the presence of MDD.

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This study aimed to examine workplace depression among public teachers. Up to 3,003 teachers completed an occupational health survey and Patient Health Questionnaire, which provided provisional diagnoses of major depressive disorder (MDD). Analyses explored key factors linked to MDD among teachers. Teachers more likely to meet MDD criteria were Hispanic, divorced, had less experience, taught at elementary level, reported low job satisfaction and control, and had higher absenteeism and increased likelihood of leaving the profession. Teachers with MDD had higher levels of perceived stress, anxiety, panic and somatization disorder, and lower quality of life. Workplace depression is associated with several variables, including job control, satisfaction, and mental and physical health. Future studies should address workplace interventions for educators.

Both employees and employers will benefit if the ill or injured employee stays at work postinjury in lieu of short- or long-term disability.