Attachment Style and Pain Perception in Burn Injury: A Case Report

Abstract

Burn pain is strongly influenced not only by tissue injury but also by psychological factors. We report the case of a 55-year-old man admitted with partial-thickness electrical burns involving approximately three percent total body surface area. Although the physical injury was limited, he reported severe and persistent pain accompanied by marked anxiety about disability and burdening his family. Psychiatric consultation was requested. His developmental history and current coping pattern were consistent with an anxious attachment style, which appeared to amplify pain perception and catastrophic thinking. He was diagnosed with adjustment disorder with anxiety related to burn injury and received supportive psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral interventions, and FRAMES- based counseling alongside standard burn care. As anxiety decreased, his reported pain intensity also improved. This case underlines the importance of considering attachment style and psychological distress in burn pain management and supports the role of early psychiatric involvement in multidisciplinary burn care.