TY - JOUR
T1 - Coping with chronic pain
T2 - a critical review of the literature
AU - Jensen, Mark P.
AU - Turner, Judith A.
AU - Romano, Joan M.
AU - Karoly, Paul
N1 - Funding Information:
Preparation of this article was supported in part by Department of Health and Human Services Grant NS08545 to Mark P. Jensen.
PY - 1991/12
Y1 - 1991/12
N2 - A growing number of investigators have used models of stress and coping to help explain the differences in adjustment found among persons who experience chronic pain. This article reviews the empirical research which has examined the relationships among beliefs, coping, and adjustment to chronic pain. Although preliminary, some consistent findings are beginning to emerge. For example, patients who believe they can control their pain, who avoid catastrophizing about their condition, and who believe they are not severely disabled appear to function better than those who do not. Such beliefs may mediate some of the relationships between pain severity and adjustment. Although coping strategies appear to be associated with adjustment in chronic pain patients, methodological problems limit conclusions regarding the strenght and nature of this association. Our recommendations for future research include the development of coping and belief measures which: (1) do not confound different dimensions (e.g., coping, beliefs, and adjustment) in the same measure; (2) assess specific (rather than composite) constructs; (3) are psychometrically sound; and (4) assess behavioral coping strategies more objectively. We also recommend a greater use of experimental research designs to examine causal relationships among appraisals, coping, andadjustment.
AB - A growing number of investigators have used models of stress and coping to help explain the differences in adjustment found among persons who experience chronic pain. This article reviews the empirical research which has examined the relationships among beliefs, coping, and adjustment to chronic pain. Although preliminary, some consistent findings are beginning to emerge. For example, patients who believe they can control their pain, who avoid catastrophizing about their condition, and who believe they are not severely disabled appear to function better than those who do not. Such beliefs may mediate some of the relationships between pain severity and adjustment. Although coping strategies appear to be associated with adjustment in chronic pain patients, methodological problems limit conclusions regarding the strenght and nature of this association. Our recommendations for future research include the development of coping and belief measures which: (1) do not confound different dimensions (e.g., coping, beliefs, and adjustment) in the same measure; (2) assess specific (rather than composite) constructs; (3) are psychometrically sound; and (4) assess behavioral coping strategies more objectively. We also recommend a greater use of experimental research designs to examine causal relationships among appraisals, coping, andadjustment.
KW - Beliefs
KW - Chronic pain
KW - Coping strategies
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U2 - 10.1016/0304-3959(91)90216-K
DO - 10.1016/0304-3959(91)90216-K
M3 - Article
C2 - 1784498
AN - SCOPUS:0025841695
SN - 0304-3959
VL - 47
SP - 249
EP - 283
JO - Pain
JF - Pain
IS - 3
ER -