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Optimism and the Experience of Pain: Benefits of Seeing the Glass as Half Full

  • Psychiatric Management of Pain (M Clark, Section Editor)
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Abstract

There is a strong body of literature that lends support to the health-promoting effects of an optimistic personality disposition, observed across various physical and psychological dimensions. In accordance with this evidence base, it has been suggested that optimism may positively influence the course and experience of pain. Although the associations among optimism and pain outcomes have only recently begun to be studied adequately, emerging experimental and clinical research links optimism to lower pain sensitivity and better adjustment to chronic pain. This review highlights recent studies that have examined the effects of optimism on the pain experience using samples of individuals with clinically painful conditions, as well as healthy samples in laboratory settings. Furthermore, factors such as catastrophizing, hope, acceptance and coping strategies, which are thought to play a role in how optimism exerts its beneficial effects on pain, are also addressed.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by funds provided to Dr Burel R. Goodin from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Psychology.

Conflict of Interest

Dr Burel R. Goodin received a grant from the American Pain Society. Dr Goodin sometimes receives travel accommodations from the University of Florida.

Mrs. Hailey W. Bulls declares that she has no conflict of interest.

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  1. Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1300 University Boulevard, Campbell Hall, Room 328, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA

    Burel R. Goodin & Hailey W. Bulls

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  1. Burel R. Goodin
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Correspondence to Burel R. Goodin.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Psychiatric Management of Pain

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Goodin, B.R., Bulls, H.W. Optimism and the Experience of Pain: Benefits of Seeing the Glass as Half Full. Curr Pain Headache Rep 17, 329 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-013-0329-8

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