Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and/or multiple tender points located on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms or legs that hurt when touched. FM can be a debilitating condition with financial, emotional, interpersonal, and health costs that can affect not only the person diagnosed, but his or her family and friends. Presently, the etiology of FM is largely unknown and there is no definitive cure. Researchers have identified several possible contributing factors in the development and maintenance of FM, including genetics, abnormalities in the neuroendocrine system, and sleep disturbances as well as psychiatric disorders. Victimization experiences (e.g., sexual and physical abuse) have also been cited in the literature as a contributing factor. Prevalence rates for physical abuse and sexual abuse in clinical samples range from 18% to 47.2% and 9.5% to 66.7%, respectively. However, results obtained from studies using community representative samples have not been consistent. Possible explanations for the discrepancy are discussed. Additionally, the interplay between mental health and victimization experiences in FM are discussed using McEwen’s (1998) allostatic load hypothesis and Van Houdenhove & Egle’s (2004) biopsychosocial model of stress and FM.
","abstract_html":"<p>Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and/or multiple tender points located on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms or legs that hurt when touched. FM can be a debilitating condition with financial, emotional, interpersonal, and health costs that can affect not only the person diagnosed, but his or her family and friends. Presently, the etiology of FM is largely unknown and there is no definitive cure. Researchers have identified several possible contributing factors in the development and maintenance of FM, including genetics, abnormalities in the neuroendocrine system, and sleep disturbances as well as psychiatric disorders. Victimization experiences (e.g., sexual and physical abuse) have also been cited in the literature as a contributing factor. Prevalence rates for physical abuse and sexual abuse in clinical samples range from 18% to 47.2% and 9.5% to 66.7%, respectively. However, results obtained from studies using community representative samples have not been consistent. Possible explanations for the discrepancy are discussed. Additionally, the interplay between mental health and victimization experiences in FM are discussed using McEwen’s (1998) allostatic load hypothesis and Van Houdenhove & Egle’s (2004) biopsychosocial model of stress and FM.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Kloeppel, Eric J."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Kendal Boyd","Jason Owen"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2010,"date_issued":"2010-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2010-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:53:37Z","subjects":["Health Psychology","Fibromyalgia; Mental Health -- outlines; Nervous System Diseases -- outlines; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic -- outlines; Arthritis, Rheumatoid -- outlines; Crime Victims -- psychology; Family -- psychology."],"languages":["English"],"rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/891","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Kendal Boyd","Jason Owen"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Kloeppel, Eric J."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Health Psychology","Fibromyalgia; Mental Health -- outlines; Nervous System Diseases -- outlines; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic -- outlines; Arthritis, Rheumatoid -- outlines; Crime Victims -- psychology; Family -- psychology."]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/891"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and/or multiple tender points located on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms or legs that hurt when touched. FM can be a debilitating condition with financial, emotional, interpersonal, and health costs that can affect not only the person diagnosed, but his or her family and friends. Presently, the etiology of FM is largely unknown and there is no definitive cure. Researchers have identified several possible contributing factors in the development and maintenance of FM, including genetics, abnormalities in the neuroendocrine system, and sleep disturbances as well as psychiatric disorders. Victimization experiences (e.g., sexual and physical abuse) have also been cited in the literature as a contributing factor. Prevalence rates for physical abuse and sexual abuse in clinical samples range from 18% to 47.2% and 9.5% to 66.7%, respectively. However, results obtained from studies using community representative samples have not been consistent. Possible explanations for the discrepancy are discussed. Additionally, the interplay between mental health and victimization experiences in FM are discussed using McEwen’s (1998) allostatic load hypothesis and Van Houdenhove & Egle’s (2004) biopsychosocial model of stress and FM.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Mental Health and Victimization Experiences in Fibromyalgia: A Literature Review"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Kendal Boyd","Jason Owen"],"dc:creator":["Kloeppel, Eric J."],"dc:description.abstract":["Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and/or multiple tender points located on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms or legs that hurt when touched. FM can be a debilitating condition with financial, emotional, interpersonal, and health costs that can affect not only the person diagnosed, but his or her family and friends. Presently, the etiology of FM is largely unknown and there is no definitive cure. Researchers have identified several possible contributing factors in the development and maintenance of FM, including genetics, abnormalities in the neuroendocrine system, and sleep disturbances as well as psychiatric disorders. Victimization experiences (e.g., sexual and physical abuse) have also been cited in the literature as a contributing factor. Prevalence rates for physical abuse and sexual abuse in clinical samples range from 18% to 47.2% and 9.5% to 66.7%, respectively. However, results obtained from studies using community representative samples have not been consistent. Possible explanations for the discrepancy are discussed. Additionally, the interplay between mental health and victimization experiences in FM are discussed using McEwen’s (1998) allostatic load hypothesis and Van Houdenhove & Egle’s (2004) biopsychosocial model of stress and FM.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/891"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"dc:subject":["Health Psychology","Fibromyalgia; Mental Health -- outlines; Nervous System Diseases -- outlines; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic -- outlines; Arthritis, Rheumatoid -- outlines; Crime Victims -- psychology; Family -- psychology."],"dc:title":["Mental Health and Victimization Experiences in Fibromyalgia: A Literature Review"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:53:37Z"}