title: 'Isn't it ironic?' Beliefs about the unacceptability of emotions and emotional suppression relate to worse outcomes in fibromyalgia.
abstract: Beliefs about the unacceptability of experiencing and expressing emotions have been found to be related to worse outcomes in people with persistent physical symptoms. The current study tested mediation models regarding emotional suppression, beliefs about emotions, support-seeking and global impact in fibromyalgia. One hundred eighty-two participants took part in an online questionnaire testing potential mechanisms of this relationship using mediation analysis. The model tested emotional suppression and affective distress as serial mediators of the relationship between beliefs about emotions and global impact. In parallel paths, two forms of support-seeking were tested (personal/emotional and symptom-related support-seeking) as mediators. Emotional suppression and affective distress significantly serially mediated the relationship between beliefs about emotions and global impact. Neither support-seeking variable significantly mediated this relationship. Results indicate a potential mechanism through which beliefs about emotions and global impact might relate which might provide a theoretical basis for future research on treatments for fibromyalgia.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, TW10 0EX, UK. Hannah.Bowers.2010@live.rhul.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bowers
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK.
authors.forename: Abigail L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Wroe
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, TW10 0EX, UK.
authors.forename: Tamar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pincus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018450:Disease Progression; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Beliefs about emotions; Emotional suppression; Fibromyalgia; Support-seeking