Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Investigating Pain-Related Avoidance Behavior using a Robotic Arm-Reaching Paradigm
Published on: October 3, 2020
Negative thinking as a coping strategy mediator of pain and internalizing symptoms in adolescents with sickle cell
Lamia P Barakat1, Lisa A Schwartz, Katherine Simon
1Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. lpb22@drexel.edu
Abstract:
The objective of this study was to examine the role of coping strategies, specifically negative thinking, in mediating the association of pain with symptoms of anxiety and depression in adolescents with sickle cell disease. Fifty-two 12-18-year-old adolescents with sickle cell disease completed a daily pain diary and paper-and-pencil measures of pain, pain coping, depression and anxiety. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were within the non-clinical range. Preliminary analyses indicated that lower family income was associated with higher reports of pain and negative thinking. Mediation regression analyses supported negative thinking as mediating the association of: (1) pain intensity with depression, and (2) pain interference with daily activities with anxiety. Findings highlight negative thinking as a factor compromising adolescents' adaptation to sickle cell pain; however, further investigation is required to determine the mediating influence of pain coping. Associations for lower income emphasize the multiple risk factors experienced by many of these adolescents.
Related Concept Videos
Coping Strategies: Problem Focused
For example, consider a student who struggles to understand their...
Coping Strategies: Emotion Focused
Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
Cognitive Development During Adolescence
Lazarus's Cognitive Appraisal Theory
Primary Appraisal:...
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification