The role of pain, disability and perceived social support in psychological and academic functioning of university students with pain: an observational study

ObjectivesUniversity students with pain face unique physical, psychological, social and academic challenges, but research on this is limited. The main aim of this study was to examine how pain, disability and perceived social support relate to psychological and academic outcomes in students with pain. It also compared students with pain and students without pain on measures of depression, anxiety and perceived social support.MethodsThree hundred and eleven students enrolled in Chinese universities took part in the study, 198 with pain (102 reported acute pain and 96 chronic pain) and 113 without pain. They completed measures of perceived social support, depression, anxiety, pain (intensity, frequency, duration), disability and pain interference with academic functioning.ResultsStudents with chronic pain reported higher levels of anxiety and depression and lower levels of perceived social support than students without pain. There were no significant differences between students with acute and chronic pain, and between students with acute pain and those without pain. In the pain sample (containing both acute and chronic pain group), greater interference with academic functioning was predicted by higher levels of pain and disability, and disability also predicted higher levels of depression. After controlling for effects of pain and disability, lower levels of perceived social support predicted higher levels of both anxiety and depression.ConclusionsThese results highlight the role of pain and disability in academic functioning and the role of perceived social support in psychological functioning of students with pain.