The Mindful Reappraisal of Pain Scale: Initial Validity Evidence for Use as a State Measure Following Isometric...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sports Science
• Pain Management

Background:

• The Mindful Reappraisal of Pain Scale (MRPS) assesses cognitive-affective reappraisal of pain.
• Mindful reappraisal may enhance resilience and persistence during discomfort.
• Acute exercise contexts involve short-term, intense physical discomfort.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the psychometric properties of a state-based version of the MRPS.
• To assess the validity of the MRPS in an acute exercise setting.
• To examine the relationship between mindful reappraisal and psychological/exercise variables.

Main Methods:

• 127 physically active participants completed plank and wall sit exercises.
• Measures included state mindful reappraisal (MRPS), trait and state mindfulness, pain tolerance, affect, pain intensity, and perceived exertion.
• Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the scale's structure.

Main Results:

• The state-based MRPS demonstrated a unidimensional structure with good internal consistency (ω = 0.88/0.90).
• MRPS scores correlated significantly with mindfulness, pain tolerance, and affect.
• The MRPS uniquely predicted pain tolerance in a wall sit task, independent of mindfulness levels.
• Scores were not associated with pain intensity or perceived exertion, supporting its cognitive-affective focus.

Conclusions:

• The state-based MRPS is a brief, reliable measure for assessing mindful reappraisal in acute exercise.
• Findings support the scale's distinction between cognitive-affective reappraisal and sensory attenuation.
• Further research is recommended to confirm robustness across diverse populations and exercise types.