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01-04-2015

Meaning in life in chronic pain patients over time: associations with pain experience and psychological well-being

Auteurs: Jessie Dezutter, Koen Luyckx, Amy Wachholtz

Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Behavioral Medicine | Uitgave 2/2015

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Abstract

We explored the relationship between meaning in life and adjustment to chronic pain in a three-wave, 2 year, longitudinal study of 273 Belgian chronic pain patients. We examined the directionality of the relationships among the meaning in life dimensions (Presence of Meaning and Search for Meaning) and indicators of adjustment (depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, pain intensity, and pain medication use). We found that Presence of Meaning was an important predictor of well-being. Secondly, we used a typological methodology to distinguish meaning in life profiles, and the relationship of individual meaning in life profiles with indicators of adjustment. Five meaning in life profiles emerged: High Presence High Search, High Presence Low Search, Moderate Presence Moderate Search, Low Presence Low Search, and Low Presence High Search. Each meaning in life profile was associated with a unique adjustment outcome. Profiles that scored high on Presence of Meaning showed more optimal adjustment. The profiles showed little change over time and did not moderate the development of adjustment indicators, except for life satisfaction. Practical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Voetnoten
1
The current study is part of an ongoing international study on spirituality and pain. To match the questionnaires of the research partners whose data already was collected, we used the same 8 items of the CESD. Those items were ‘I felt depressed’, ‘I felt everything I did was an effort’, ‘My sleep was restless’, ‘I was happy’, ‘People were unfriendly’, ‘I enjoyed life’, ‘I felt that people disliked me’, and ‘I could not get going’.
 
2
The exact statistical results for the non-significant findings can be requested at the first author.
 
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Metagegevens
Titel
Meaning in life in chronic pain patients over time: associations with pain experience and psychological well-being
Auteurs
Jessie Dezutter
Koen Luyckx
Amy Wachholtz
Publicatiedatum
01-04-2015
Uitgeverij
Springer US
Gepubliceerd in
Journal of Behavioral Medicine / Uitgave 2/2015
Print ISSN: 0160-7715
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-3521
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-014-9614-1