abstract
BACKGROUND:
Self-regulation
can be useful in understanding pain management efforts in women with
ovarian cancer. Self-regulation is a parallel process of problem- and
emotion-focused coping; problem-focused coping involves efforts aimed at
solving/reducing the problem directly, whereas emotion-focused coping
is aimed at managing negative emotions.
OBJECTIVES:
The
aims of this study were to describe the types of problem- and
emotion-focused coping strategies used to manage pain severity,
distress, and consequences and to evaluate whether there was evidence of
parallel processing (ie, use of a combination of both problem- and
emotion-focused strategies).
METHODS:
Women
(n = 162) from a cross-sectional study of cancer symptoms who reported
pain as a most noticed symptom in the past week were included. Pearson
correlations and t tests were used to evaluate relationships among the
variables.
RESULTS:
Mean
pain severity was 5.5 (SD, 2.7) on a 0- to 10-point scale. An average
of 4.6 (SD, 2.1) coping strategies were reported. Actively manage and
planning were the most frequent problem-focused strategies; relaxation
was the most frequent emotion-focused strategy. Higher total number of
coping strategies attempted, expressing emotions, and seeking emotional
support were associated with higher pain distress and consequences
scores, and actively managing pain was associated with higher pain
severity.
CONCLUSION:
Women with a history of ovarian cancer continue to experience severe pain. Partial support for parallel processing was found.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE:
The
relative benefits of the 2 types of coping strategies are unclear.
Thorough assessment of pain and the effectiveness of coping strategies
is needed to help women identify strategies that work best for them.
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