Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association
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Acceptance of pain and values-based action appear important in the emotional, physical, and social functioning of individuals with chronic pain. The purpose of the current study was to prospectively investigate these combined processes. ⋯ These results support the importance of acceptance and values-related processes in relation to chronic pain. These results also encourage continued applications of a functional contextual model of psychopathology, the model underlying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and related approaches such as Contextual Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Anger management style and emotional reactivity to noxious stimuli among chronic pain patients and healthy controls: the role of endogenous opioids.
Previous work suggests that elevated trait anger-out exacerbates pain responses in part through endogenous opioid dysfunction. The authors examined whether this opioid dysfunction affects not only perceived pain intensity, but also emotional responses to being hurt. ⋯ Opioid dysfunction associated with trait anger-out may affect not only perceived pain intensity, but also pain-related suffering in individuals with chronic pain conditions. Implications for understanding the health effects of anger management styles are discussed.
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Catastrophic thinking is associated with disability and distress for many with chronic pain. The effects of catastrophic thinking likely rely not only on the content or frequency of the thoughts, but also on other cognitive, behavioral, and environmental influences that are present. One possible influence is acceptance, which involves experiencing thoughts, moods, or sensations without some of their supplemental psychological effects on behavior, especially when these effects can contribute to less freedom in daily functioning. ⋯ These results suggest that research and clinical work in the area may benefit from a broadened perspective where the occurrence of catastrophic thinking is considered within the wider context of the behavioral processes that give this thinking its impact.