• John W Burns, Phillip Quartana, and Stephen Bruehl.
• Department of Behavioral Science, Rush University Medical Center, 1645 W. Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. john_burns@Rush.edu
• Ann Behav Med. 2011 Aug 1;42(1):42-54.

BackgroundSuppression of anger is linked to subsequent pain intensity among chronic low back patients, but it is not clear whether anger regulation style (trait anger-out, anger-in) moderates these effects or if aroused anger accounts for links between anger regulation style and pain.MethodChronic low back pain patients (N=58) were assigned to Suppression or No Suppression conditions for a task with harassing confederate and then underwent structured pain behavior procedures. Spielberger Anger Expression Inventory tapped trait anger-out (AOS) and anger-in (AIS).ResultsRegressions tested Emotion Regulation condition × AOS and AIS effects on outcomes. AOS was related to grimacing and sighing for Suppression condition patients. AIS was related negatively to guarding and bracing for Suppression condition patients. Anger report partly mediated effects for AOS and AIS.ConclusionsAnger regulation style moderated effects of state anger suppression on subsequent pain behaviors, effects that were partly explained by aroused anger.

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