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The Association Between Chronic Pain Acceptance and Pain-Related Disability: A Meta-Analysis
Kyle M White1, Emily L Zale2, Emma C Lape3
1Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, 352 Marley Educational Building, 765 Irving Avenue, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA. kywhite@syr.edu.
Abstract:
Chronic pain acceptance has been identified as a crucial determinant of functioning among individuals living with chronic pain. However, research examining the relationship between chronic pain acceptance and pain-related disability has revealed variability across studies. The aims of this meta-analysis were to synthesize associations between chronic pain acceptance and pain-related disability, and test the moderating influence of pain characteristics, demographic factors, and methodological variables. Searches of PubMed and PsycINFO electronic databases located 24 studies (N = 6072) reporting correlations between chronic pain acceptance and pain-related disability. Meta-analytic calculations were performed using random effects models. Results indicated a negative association between chronic pain acceptance and pain-related disability that can be characterized as moderate in magnitude (r = -.45) and was stable across pain characteristics and demographic factors. Moderator analyses suggested the association between chronic pain acceptance and pain-related disability may be sensitive to the measures used to assess these constructs. These findings underscore the role of chronic pain acceptance in pain-related disability and reinforce the clinical significance of acceptance-based approaches in enhancing functional outcomes among chronic pain patients.
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