scholarly journals The role of positive goal engagement in increased mental well-being among individuals with chronic non-cancer pain

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 230-238
Author(s):  
Joanne E Iddon ◽  
Peter J Taylor ◽  
Jen Unwin ◽  
Joanne M Dickson

Individuals with chronic pain commonly report significant functional impairment and reduced quality of life. Despite this, little is known about psychological processes and mechanisms underpinning enhancements in well-being within this population. The study aimed to investigate whether (1) increased levels of pain intensity and interference were associated with lower levels of mental well-being, (2) increased positive goal engagement was associated with higher levels of mental well-being and (3) whether the relationships between pain characteristics and mental well-being were mediated by increased positive goal engagement. A total of 586 individuals with chronic pain participated in the cross-sectional, online study. Participants completed self-report measures to assess pain intensity and interference, mental well-being and goal motivation variables. Results showed that pain interference and positive goal engagement were associated with mental well-being. Moreover, the relationship between pain interference and mental well-being was partially mediated by positive goal engagement. The results provide tentative evidence for the protective role of positive goal engagement in enabling individuals with chronic pain to maintain a sense of mental well-being. The study develops the biopsychosocial model of chronic pain by examining the roles and relationships of relevant yet previously unexplored psychological constructs. The promotion of mental well-being through the enhancement of positive goal engagement is discussed, offering a platform for further research and clinical interventions.

Author(s):  
Georgia A. Bird ◽  
Mary L. Quinton ◽  
Jennifer Cumming

This study investigated the relationship between reappraisal and suppression with depression and mental well-being among university athletes. It was hypothesized reappraisal would associate with lower depression and greater mental well-being, whereas suppression would associate with greater depression and reduced mental well-being. Employing a cross-sectional design, 427 participants (Mage = 20.18, SD = 1.52; 188 males and 239 females) completed questionnaires assessing mental health and strategy use. Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed reappraisal was positively associated, and suppression negatively associated with mental well-being, ΔR2 = 4.8%, ΔF(2, 422) = 17.01, p ≤ .001; suppression, β = −0.08, p = .028; reappraisal, β = 0.21, p ≤ .001, but neither were associated with depression, ΔR2 = 0.4%, ΔF(2, 422) = 1.33, p = .267; suppression, β = 0.06, p = .114; reappraisal, β = 0.03, p = .525. Results highlight reappraisal as correlated with mental well-being in student-athletes, and therefore, reappraisal could be beneficial for managing stress in sport. Reappraisal may implicate how well-being is promoted through sport, but future experimental research is needed to confirm causal relationships.


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan S.K. Thong ◽  
Gabriel Tan ◽  
Mark P. Jensen

AbstractObjectivesChronic pain is a significant problem worldwide and is associated with significant elevations in negative affect, depressive symptoms, sleep problems, and physical dysfunction. Positive affect could potentially buffer the impact of pain on patient functioning. If it does, then positive affect could be directly targeted in treatment to benefit individuals with chronic pain. The purpose of this study was to test for such moderating effects.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study, we administered measures of pain intensity, depressive symptoms, sleep problems, pain interference, and positive and negative affect to 100 individuals with chronic back or knee pain in a single face-to-face assessment session.ResultsThe associations between pain intensity and negative affect, and between pain intensity and depressive symptoms were moderated by positive affect. This moderation effect was explained by the fact that participants with low positive affect evidenced strong associations between pain intensity and both depression and negative affect; participants with high positive affect, on the other hand, evidenced weak and non-significant associations between pain intensity and both depression and negative affect. Positive affect did not moderate the associations between pain intensity and either sleep problems or pain interference.ConclusionThe findings are consistent with the possibility that positive affect may buffer the impact of pain intensity on negative affect and depressive symptoms. Longitudinal and experimental research is needed to determine the potential benefits of treatments that increase positive affect on negative affect and depressive symptoms in chronic pain populations.ImplicationsThe study findings suggest the possibility that “positive psychology” interventions which increase positive affect could benefit individuals with chronic pain by reducing the impact of pain on negative outcomes. Research to test this possibility is warranted.


2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 67-74
Author(s):  
Emre Umucu ◽  
Timothy N. Tansey ◽  
Jessica Brooks ◽  
Beatrice Lee

Individuals with chronic conditions and disabilities, in response to stress associated with COVID-19, may experience a decrease in their overall well-being beyond that experienced by otherwise healthy individuals. Therefore, it is imperative to identify internal resources (e.g., character strengths) that can help them better manage COVID-19-related stress and enhance well-being in spite of COVID-19. This study explored the potential protective role of character strengths and virtues in moderating the negative effects of COVID-19 on stress and well-being. A cross-sectional study design was implemented. Participants included 269 individuals with self-reported chronic conditions and disabilities. After controlling for demographic and clinical characteristics, we examined whether character strengths and virtues acted as independent moderators between COVID-19-related stress and well-being. A higher degree of multiple character strengths significantly and independently moderated the relationship between COVID-19-related stress and well-being. Findings suggested the importance of promoting more character strengths overall in people with chronic conditions and disabilities to help them better manage COVID-19-related stress and enhance well-being.


Author(s):  
Line Caes ◽  
Bruce Dick ◽  
Christina Duncan ◽  
Julia Allan

Abstract Objective  To propose a new model outlining a hypothesized cyclical relation between executive functioning, emotional regulation, and chronic pain in adolescence and to highlight the likely importance of such a relation for self-management behavior and pain-related disability. Methods  A review of the existing literature that critically explores the role of executive functioning in understanding chronic pain experiences and self-management in adolescence in order to develop the Cyclical model Of Pain, Executive function, emotion regulation, and Self-management (COPES). Results  Growing evidence points towards a potential cyclical relation between chronic pain and impaired executive functioning, which forms the basis of COPES. The COPES model proposes that the relative immaturity of executive functioning in adolescence negatively influences their ability to engage with self-management, which in turn increases adolescents’ disability due to pain and contributes to the maintenance of chronic pain, which perpetuates the reduced capacity of executive functioning. The moderating influence of flexible parental support is hypothesized to offset some of these influences. However, the available evidence is limited due to methodological shortcomings such as large variety in executive functioning operationalization, reliance on self-report and cross-sectional designs. Conclusions  It is anticipated that the COPES model will stimulate more systematic, theory-driven research to further our understanding of the links between executive functioning, chronic pain, self-management, and wellbeing. Such enhanced understanding has the potential to drive forward intervention development and refinement aimed at improving self-management uptake and adherence amongst adolescents with chronic pain.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 195-204
Author(s):  
Rowena J Field ◽  
Fereshteh Pourkazemi ◽  
Kieron B Rooney

Aim: To explore the reported diet of Australians with chronic pain and their perceived role of food within their pain experience. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 50 participants reporting chronic pain was undertaken using pain and nutritional questionnaires as well as anthropometric measures. Results: Participants rated their diet between ‘good’ and ‘excellent' (76%) and one that promoted well-being (62%), however 74% were overweight or obese (average BMI 30) with multiple co-morbidities. There was no correlation between measures of dietary adherence and knowledge with reported pain. Conclusion: Participants generally reported their diets to be good, however, this was not reflected in their habitual diet. There was a low perceived role of food altering pain perception.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-375
Author(s):  
Sara Viotti ◽  
Gloria Guidetti ◽  
Daniela Converso

The aim of this study was to test a model including relationships among internal and external violence, workplace violence-prevention climate, exhaustion, and intention to leave (ITL) in a sample of nurses. Data were collected by a self-report questionnaire involving nurses (n = 313) from two multispecialist hospitals in Italy. The survey was cross-sectional and nonrandomized. Path analyses showed the presence of the mediating role of internal violence between workplace prevention climate and exhaustion, as well as the mediating function of both types of violence between workplace prevention climate and ITL. Moreover, an indirect effect through exhaustion between internal violence and ITL was highlighted. These findings suggested that organizations that invest in preventive measures may reduce incidents of violence and, in turn, prevent negative consequences on worker well-being.


2021 ◽  
pp. 140349482199721
Author(s):  
Unni K. Moksnes ◽  
Hanne N. Bjørnsen ◽  
Mary-Elizabeth B. Eilertsen ◽  
Geir Arild Espnes

Aims: Adolescence is a particularly salient period for understanding the role of perceived loneliness for subjective health and well-being. This study investigated sociodemographic differences (sex, age, self-reported socio-economic status (SES)) in loneliness and associations between sociodemographic factors, loneliness and self-rated health (SRH), subjective health symptoms, symptoms of depression/anxiety and mental well-being (MWB) in a sample of Norwegian adolescents. Methods: The study was based on a cross-sectional sample of 1816 adolescents aged 15–21 years. The participants reported scores on an 11-item scale assessing subjective health complaints (SHC), one item each assessing SRH and loneliness, the 10-item version of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist and the seven-item version of the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale. SES was assessed using perceived family economy and parents’ education. Data were analysed with descriptive, comparative and multiple linear regression analyses. Results: The multivariate results showed that boys scored significantly higher on MWB than girls did, whereas girls scored significantly higher on loneliness, depression/anxiety and SHC. Perceptions of poorer family finances were significantly associated with higher levels of SHC and depression/anxiety, lower levels of MWB and more negative SRH. Loneliness showed significant positive associations with depression/anxiety and SHC, and significant negative associations with MWB and SRH. A significant moderation effect of sex by loneliness was found in association with depression/anxiety, with stronger associations for girls. Conclusions: The findings in this study support the significant roles of sex, perceptions of family finances and loneliness in association with adolescent’s subjective mental and physical health and well-being, especially mental health.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Myrella Paschali ◽  
Asimina Lazaridou ◽  
Eric S. Vilsmark ◽  
Jeungchan Lee ◽  
Michael Berry ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective Chronic pain can have detrimental effects on quality of life and a profound impact on one’s identity. The Pictorial Representation of Illness- and Self-Measure (PRISM), is a visual tool designed to measure the self-illness separation (SIS) that represents the degree of schema-enmeshment (i.e., the degree to which the self-schema and the illness-schema come to overlap). Our aim was to investigate the relationship between schema-enmeshment and pain-related outcomes in patients with fibromyalgia. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 114 patients with fibromyalgia completed self-report assessments of pain catastrophizing, pain severity and interference, impact of symptoms, anxiety, and depression. SIS was assessed using an iPad version of PRISM. Mediation analyses evaluated the mediating role of schema-enmeshment on the association between pain catastrophizing and fibromyalgia impact. Results A higher degree of schema-enmeshment was associated with greater pain catastrophizing, pain severity and interference, impact of symptoms, and depression. Moreover, a mediation analysis revealed that schema-enmeshment significantly mediated the association between pain catastrophizing and fibromyalgia impact (p < 0.001). Conclusions Our results indicate that schema-enmeshment is associated with greater intrusiveness of chronic pain on everyday life, thereby posing significant limitations on the emotional and physical well-being of fibromyalgia patients. Schema-enmeshment also appears to partly account for the deleterious effect of pain catastrophizing on disease impact. The PRISM is a simple tool that may uniquely capture the extent to which chronic pain and illness infiltrates and affects one’s self-concept.


Author(s):  
Kirsten Russell ◽  
Susan Rasmussen ◽  
Simon C. Hunter

Mental well-being protects against the emergence of suicidal thoughts. However, it is not clear whether these findings extend to self-harm thoughts and behaviors irrespective of intent during adolescence—or why this relationship exists. The current study aimed to test predictions—informed by the integrated motivational–volitional (IMV) model of suicide—concerning the role of perceived defeat and entrapment within the link between mental well-being and self-harm risk. Young people (n = 573) from secondary schools across Scotland completed an anonymous self-report survey at two time points, six months apart, that assessed mental well-being, self-harm thoughts and behaviors, depressive symptomology and feelings of defeat and entrapment. Mental well-being was associated with reduced defeat and entrapment (internal and external) and a decrease in the likelihood that a young person would engage in self-harm thoughts and behaviors. The relationship between mental well-being and thoughts of self-harm was mediated by perceptions of defeat and entrapment (internal and external). Mental well-being was indirectly related to self-harm behaviors via decreased feelings of defeat and internal (but not external) entrapment. Taken together, these findings provide novel insights into the psychological processes linking mental well-being and self-harm risk and highlight the importance of incorporating the promotion of mental well-being within future prevention and early intervention efforts.


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