THE PAIN EXPERIENCE, EMOTIONS, AND SELF-REGULATORY BEHAVIORS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (ARTHRITIS).
Contributors: University of South Carolina.
Published: 1991
Number of pages: 235
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among the reported pain experiences, emotional states, and cognitive-behavioral strategies used by individuals with rheumatoid arthritis. The conceptual framework for this study was based on Leventhal's self-regulation model of illness which postulates that self-regulation is an information processing system with cognitive and emotional components.

A convenience sample of 162 individuals with rheomatoid arthritis was obtained through an advertisement in the Arthritis Foundation Newsletter, referrals from physicians, an arthritis clinic, and personal referrals. Five instruments were included in the survey package which was mailed to each participant: Demographic Data Sheet, the Visual Analogue Scale, the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales, the Profile of Mood States and the Carolina Self-Regulation Inventory. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the demographic data and describe the sample. Correlational and multiple regression analyses were used to investigate the relationships among the pain intensity for one week, emotional state, cognitive-behavioral strategies, and demographic characteristics of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis.

The results revealed a strong positive relationship between the pain intensity measured by the VAS and all of the emotional states measured by the POMS except the Vigor-Activity subscale. The significantly negative relationship between pain intensity and the Vigor-Activity subscale (r = $-$.3661, p $<$.0001) indicated there was a decrease in activity as pain intensity increased. The positive correlation identified between the POMS Vigor-Activity subscale and the total score of the CSRI-R indicated that as the Vigor-Activity emotional state increased, there was a significant increase in the use of cognitive-behavioral strategies or more frequent use of specific strategies (r =.3382, p $<$.0001). In addition, the results of the study demonstrated that there is a relationship among the pain intensity and the health status, use of cognitive-behavioral strategies and the emotional states of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (F = 13.61, p $<$.0001). Approximately 56% of the variance in pain intensity was explained by these predictor variables.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-04, Section: B, page: 1949.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1991.

School code: 0202.