Repressive coping style: relationships with depression, pain, and pain coping strategies in lung cancer outpatients

Researchers have shown that coping style is related to pain and adjustment in people with chronic illness. This study was the first to examine how coping style related to pain, pain coping strategies, and depression in lung cancer outpatients. We conducted a comparative, secondary data analysis of 107 lung cancer patients (73% male, mean age 61.4±10.43 years, 88% Caucasian). As in prior studies, we classified patients into four coping style groups based on Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale and trait anxiety scores. The coping style groups were low-anxious (n=25); high-anxious (n=31); defensive high-anxious (n=21); and repressive (n=30). Compared to other coping style groups, the repressive group reported statistically significant lower mean scores for pain quality, pain catastrophizing, and depression. Assessing coping style by measuring personal characteristics such as social desirability and trait anxiety may help clinicians to identify vulnerable individuals with lung cancer who may be candidates for early and timely intervention efforts to enhance adjustment to pain.