Abstract
Individual differences in pain-related factors may help clarify why some women with arthritis are more active. Pain acceptance, which involves being willing to pursue activities despite pain, may be associated with social cognitive correlates of activity. Our first purpose was to examine whether self-regulatory efficacy to cope with arthritis barriers and the likelihood and value of arthritis outcomes distinguished women of higher versus lower pain acceptance, after controlling for pain intensity. The second purpose was to examine whether the two acceptance groups differed in activity. Participants (Mage=47.69 years) completed online measures of pain acceptance and intensity, social cognitions, and then endurance activity two-weeks later. Two acceptance groups were formed (n=59/group; median split). A hierarchical discriminant function analysis revealed that after controlling for pain intensity, social cognitions accounted for 13% of the variance in pain acceptance (final model ? = .73, ?2 (4) = 36.01, p < .01). Self-regulatory efficacy and pain intensity contributed the most to group separation. A t-test revealed the higher acceptance group engaged in significantly more activity (Mhigher=208.39 vs. Mlower =142.73 minutes/week, p<.05). Pain acceptance, a disease-related individual difference, complements theory-based arthritis-related social cognitions linked to participation in activity, offering a clearer description of factors related to the differential levels of activity among individuals with arthritis.Acknowledgments: Funded by SSHRC grant #410-2005-2292.