The "self" in pain: the role of psychological inflexibility in chronic pain adjustment.
Self-discrepancy occurs when a person feels the failure to fulfill one's hopes or responsibilities. Although self-discrepancy has been widely examined to elucidate patients' chronic pain adjustment, the underlying mechanism is unclear. The present study proposes that the effect of self-discrepancy on pain outcomes is accounted for by psychological inflexibility, which involves the psychological processes that guide behaviors in the pursuit of goals and values. One-hundred patients with chronic pain were recruited from a public hospital. They were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview regarding their self-discrepancy and complete self-reported questionnaires regarding their psychological inflexibility and pain outcomes. The results confirmed that psychological inflexibility partly accounts for the variance observed between self-discrepancy and pain outcomes. The current study provides additional insight into the mechanism underpinning the impact of self-discrepancy on patients' pain adjustment and offers clinical implications regarding the use of acceptance commitment therapy for chronic pain management.
Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Silvia Sze Wai
SS
Kwok
Pain Management Clinic, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Esther Chin Chi
EC
Chan
Pain Management Clinic, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Phoon Ping
PP
Chen
Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. bcylo@hku.hk.
Barbara Chuen Yee
BC
Lo
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Acceptance; Chronic pain; Goal pursuit; Psychological inflexibility; Self-discrepancy