• Rosa Esteve, Alicia E López-Martínez, Madelon L Peters, Elena R Serrano-Ibáñez, Gema T Ruiz-Párraga, and Carmen Ramírez-Maestre.
• Andalucía Tech, Facultad de Psicología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
• Pain Res Manag. 2018 Jan 1; 2018: 6291719.

ObjectiveActivity patterns are the product of pain and of the self-regulation of current goals in the context of pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between goal management strategies and activity patterns while taking into account the role of optimism/pessimism and positive/negative affect.MethodsTwo hundred and thirty-seven patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain filled out questionnaires on optimism, positive and negative affect, pain intensity, and the activity patterns they employed in dealing with their pain. Questionnaires were also administered to assess their general goal management strategies: goal persistence, flexible goal adjustment, and disengagement and reengagement with goals.ResultsStructural equation modelling showed that higher levels of optimism were related to persistence, flexible goal management, and commitment to new goals. These strategies were associated with higher positive affect, persistence in finishing tasks despite pain, and infrequent avoidance behaviour in the presence or anticipation of pain.ConclusionsThe strategies used by the patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain to manage their life goals are related to their activity patterns.

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