title: Spiritual Struggle Among Patients Seeking Treatment for Chronic Headaches: Anger and Protest Behaviors Toward God.
abstract: This study examined anger and protest behaviors toward God among 80 US adults seeking treatment for chronic headaches (66 women, 14 men; 71 completed treatment). Measures were administered before and after an intensive 3-week outpatient treatment program. At both times, anger and protest toward God correlated with lower pain acceptance, more emotional distress, and greater perceived disability. However, when considered simultaneously, anger predicted sustained distress, whereas protest behaviors (e.g., complaining, questioning, arguing) predicted both reduced distress and an increased sense of meaning. These findings suggest the utility of distinguishing between anger toward God and behaviors suggesting assertiveness toward God.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44106-7123, USA. julie.exline@case.edu.
authors.forename: Julie J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Exline
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Neurological Center for Pain, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Karen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Broer
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000786:Anger; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D020773:Headache Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
keywords: Divine struggle; Headaches; Pain; Religious coping; Spiritual struggle; Spirituality