COPING WITH PAIN - DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS V ALIDITY

Beyond assessing patients' pain-experience clinical pain research is i nterested in coping strategies as well as dimensions of pain-related s ubjective stress. 2 previous studies revealed three domains (1) pain r elated subjective stress, (2) cognitive coping strategies, (3) behavio ral coping strategies, each comprising 3 different dimensions. The Fol lowing study was conducted to validate these dimensions: In one correl ational study (N = 82 Chronic Pain Patients), relations between variab les of pain-related stress or coping, and corresponding variables not referring to pain, were examined. Another study (N = 44 In-Patients of a pain-management unit) reared the dimensions' sensitivity to therape utic change. Data show substantial correlations between pain-related s tress or coping with more general measures. Furthermore, patients' suc cess in therapy was clearly reflected on the scales examined (reductio ns in pain-related stress; gains in cognitive and behavioral coping).