About the ReIntegrate Project

New study on the Presence, Intensity, and Temporal Changes in Generalized Anxiety Disorder Maintenance Factors in Workers Undergoing Rehabilitation for Persistent Musculoskeletal Pain

The aim of this study was to enhance understanding of the nature of the anxiety symptoms exhibited by workers with a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) that had resulted in a work absence of more than 12 weeks, during their participation in a work rehabilitation program. The primary objective was to document the presence, intensity, and temporal changes in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and its maintenance factors. These factors are intolerance of uncertainty, worries, negative problem orientation, and beliefs about the usefulness of worrying, cognitive avoidance, and depression. In addition, this study sought, on an exploratory basis, to document the relationships between the component factors of a GAD model and the main biopsychosocial factors associated with work disability, as well as their correlations with a return to work. This exploratory study is one of the first to document workers’ GAD-type and kinesiophobia-related anxiety symptoms during a rehabilitation program. Regarding GAD factors, the comparison of this study’s results with empirical and normative data also allowed the researchers to interpret and better understand the difficulties experienced by workers with a work disability.