The mediating role of pain coping strategies of relationship between chronic pain as a stress and health outcomes: The roles of self efficacy

In this study chronic pain experience conceptualized as a type of stress was measured by three different methods: pain intensity, multidimentional pain intensity, pain frequency x disturbance level. Informed Consent Form, Sociodemographic Features and Pain Information Form, Pain Coping Inventory, General Self-Efficacy, Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire-2, Visual Analog Scale, The West Haven Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory and Life Experince Survey were applied to the participants. Results showed that the strongest relationship was observed between pain disability and multidimentional pain intensity which is one of the pain stress measure; activity level and pain frequency x disturbance level which is another one of the pain stress measure. It was found that multidimentional pain intensity and passive coping predicted changes of pain-related disability level. The partial mediation role of passive coping was observed in the relationship between multidimentional pain intensity and pain-related disability. Independently from pain stress, it was observed that self efficacy predicted pain-related disability. Pain self efficacy predicted pain-related disability both directly and indirectly through passive coping. On the other side, pain frequency x disturbance level, active coping and general self efficacy predicted activity level in together. The strongest variable was active coping to explain activity level. Pain self efficacy predicted activity level both directly and indirectly through active coping. The results of study points out the importance of multidisciplinary treatments with chronic pain patients. Interventions targeting pain related disability should focus on passive coping and multidimentional pain intensity. And the interventions aimed at increasing activity level should focus especially on pain self efficacy and active coping. Key words: chronic pain, stress and coping, self efficacy, pain disability, activity