Comparison of stress responses in women with two types of chronic pain: Fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis

Two groups of older adult women with chronic pain were studied: 52 women wi th osteoarthritis (OA) and 50 women with a self-identified diagnosis of fib romyalgia syndrome (FMS). These participants were administered measures of interpersonal stress, pain, pain coping, and personality attributes. The gr oups were comparable on most demographic variables and illness attributes. There were no differences between groups in personality attributes, but the FMS group used avoidance significantly more than the OA women when,hen cop ing with pain. The groups did not differ bl levels of interpersonal stress, but those with FMS who reported more interpersonal stress had higher pain, unlike OA participants. Fewer positive interpersonal interactions were rep orted by the FMS sample compared with the OA group, and those low scores we re associated with more avoidant coping and greater reactivity to stressful interpersonal events. These findings suggest a dynamic, pattenn of adjustm ent to pain that lends to chronic difficulties. Self-imposed social isolati on and other avoidant strategies of coping following pain episodes may lead to a reduction in close interpersonal ties. Loss of that source of positiv e social interaction appears to lead women to become more reactive to inter personal stressors, cope more poorly with pain, and report a lower overall quality of life.