This chapter argues that one particular type of a caregiver’s behavioral response to pain cannot, in and of itself, be considered adaptive or maladaptive. It contends that to understand the complexity of the interaction between caregivers and pain sufferers, a goal or need-based framework may be useful. Self-Determination theory (SDT) is presented as a heuristic framework that identifies three basic psychological needs as essential for successful adaption. Whether behavioral responses are supportive and helpful depends upon the extent to which these responses support the need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness of the sufferer. Drawing on an affective-motivational account on interpersonal dynamics in the context of pain, the chapter highlights how observer attunement toward sufferers’ needs may depend upon the regulation of various goals for caregiving, including self-oriented versus other-oriented goals and associated emotions.
Chronic Pain and Interpersonal Processes
