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The Prospective Association Between Life Satisfaction and Physical Pain: Evidence From Longitudinal and Cohort Data
Lucía Macchia1, Liam Delaney2, Michael Daly3
1City, St George's University of London, UK.
Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin
|June 14, 2025
Summary
Higher life satisfaction is linked to less physical pain, and vice versa. This bidirectional relationship is partially explained by psychological distress and unemployment history.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Life satisfaction and physical pain are crucial components of overall well-being.
- The intricate relationship and underlying factors connecting these two aspects remain underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the bidirectional association between life satisfaction and physical pain.
- To identify potential explanatory factors influencing this relationship.
Main Methods:
- Study 1 utilized 22 waves of Australian longitudinal data (HILDA) with fixed effects and Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models.
- Study 2 employed data from the 1970 British Cohort Study with Ordinary Least Squares regressions and extensive covariates.
Main Results:
- A bidirectional relationship was observed between life satisfaction and pain in Study 1.
- Greater life satisfaction at age 26 predicted lower physical pain at age 46 in Study 2.
- Psychological distress and prior unemployment partially mediated the link between life satisfaction and pain.
Conclusions:
- Life satisfaction and physical pain exhibit a reciprocal relationship.
- Psychological distress and unemployment are significant factors influencing well-being and pain perception.
- Findings highlight the interconnectedness of mental, social, and physical health.
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