Motivational correlates of self-reported persistent pain in young adults.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to illustrate that personal goals can provide a meaningful context within which to interpret physical pain and that persistent (nonclinical) pain correlates with dysfunctional goal evaluation for young adults.


METHODS
A total of 127 college students reporting either no pain or persistent physical pain completed the Goal System Assessment Battery, a set of questionnaires designed to gauge stable and accessible representations of self-regulated goal pursuit.


RESULTS
The results supported the general contention that persons experiencing persistent pain (at subclinical levels) tend to evaluate their important life goals in a "problematic" fashion. Specifically, the presence of persistent pain was associated with lower ratings of self-efficacy, self-monitoring, self-reward, and less positive arousal.


CONCLUSIONS
The pattern of goal construal produced by this young and generally healthy group of college students reflects cognitive-motivational dysfunctions possibly presaging pain-schemes in later life.
Karoly
P
P
Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe 85287-1104, USA.
Lecci
L
L
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires