title: Information processing and affective distress in osteoarthritis patients.
abstract: The relationship between affective distress and chronic illnesses is well recognized. Recent research has focused on depressive symptomatology among patients with chronic pain. The present study was conducted to (a) examine depressive information processing in osteoarthritis patients and (b) assess whether the presence of somatic items on a depression measure would affect the observed associations between information processing and affective distress in arthritis patients. A group of 40 osteoarthritis patients was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory, and a non-self-report measure of depressive self-schemas. Results suggest that observed depressive cognitive structures appear to be better differentiated by a nonsomatic measure of affective distress and that individuals selectively process information to fit the parameters of their currently active self-schema.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, California 92120, USA.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Calfas
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Ingram
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Kaplan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology*; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology*