Coping is an effortful response used to manage the external or internal demands that strain a person’s resources and has been found to mediate the influence of pain intensity on functional disability and quality of life. Coping strategies have been broadly categorized into passive and active coping strategies. Passive coping is believed to be maladaptive and involves withdrawal or relinquishing control to an external agent e.g., depending on others for daily tasks, praying and hoping, restricting social activities, hoping for better pain medication from doctors. In contrast, active coping is seen as adaptive, requiring an individual to initiate instrumental action to deal with pain e.g., active behavioral modification, staying busy or active, distracting attention from the pain, and taking part in physical activity or exercise.
The categorization of passive and active coping strategies appears to differ in countries and cultures, however; and what has been reported as maladaptive coping strategies in some contexts have been found to be useful in different contexts. For instance, increased use of praying and hoping strategies following treatment has varying outcomes – it has been shown to both significantly reduce reported pain intensity but conversely has been shown to increase anxiety and reduce the range of movement due to pain. Similarly, differing results have been found with staying busy or active, distraction techniques, and active coping strategies (e.g. exercise or physiotherapy). The use of coping self-statements have equally had opposing effects – positive effects have been seen with a range of motion, whereas other studies have reported these statements being labeled as denial of pain that were not associated with positive outcomes.
It, therefore, appears that the definitions of active and passive coping strategies and the usefulness of specific coping strategies may differ in different contexts due to cultural differences in coping with pain. Some authors have also reported that coping strategies overall are not important in back and neck pain after controlling for catastrophizing and pain self-efficacy. Many outcome measures for coping strategies have also been found to have limited applicability in explaining the concept. Therefore, the relative importance of different coping strategies may well vary in different cultures and according to the outcome measures utilized.
In this Research Topic of Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, we aim to bring together experts in chronic pain coping, to investigate and discuss useful coping strategies that reduce pain and disability, and improve the quality-of-life of adults with non-specific chronic lower back pain or non-specific chronic neck pain. We welcome Systematic reviews, RCTs, quasi-experimental studies, Cohort studies, Cross-sectional studies, and Qualitative studies.
Coping is an effortful response used to manage the external or internal demands that strain a person’s resources and has been found to mediate the influence of pain intensity on functional disability and quality of life. Coping strategies have been broadly categorized into passive and active coping strategies. Passive coping is believed to be maladaptive and involves withdrawal or relinquishing control to an external agent e.g., depending on others for daily tasks, praying and hoping, restricting social activities, hoping for better pain medication from doctors. In contrast, active coping is seen as adaptive, requiring an individual to initiate instrumental action to deal with pain e.g., active behavioral modification, staying busy or active, distracting attention from the pain, and taking part in physical activity or exercise.
The categorization of passive and active coping strategies appears to differ in countries and cultures, however; and what has been reported as maladaptive coping strategies in some contexts have been found to be useful in different contexts. For instance, increased use of praying and hoping strategies following treatment has varying outcomes – it has been shown to both significantly reduce reported pain intensity but conversely has been shown to increase anxiety and reduce the range of movement due to pain. Similarly, differing results have been found with staying busy or active, distraction techniques, and active coping strategies (e.g. exercise or physiotherapy). The use of coping self-statements have equally had opposing effects – positive effects have been seen with a range of motion, whereas other studies have reported these statements being labeled as denial of pain that were not associated with positive outcomes.
It, therefore, appears that the definitions of active and passive coping strategies and the usefulness of specific coping strategies may differ in different contexts due to cultural differences in coping with pain. Some authors have also reported that coping strategies overall are not important in back and neck pain after controlling for catastrophizing and pain self-efficacy. Many outcome measures for coping strategies have also been found to have limited applicability in explaining the concept. Therefore, the relative importance of different coping strategies may well vary in different cultures and according to the outcome measures utilized.
In this Research Topic of Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, we aim to bring together experts in chronic pain coping, to investigate and discuss useful coping strategies that reduce pain and disability, and improve the quality-of-life of adults with non-specific chronic lower back pain or non-specific chronic neck pain. We welcome Systematic reviews, RCTs, quasi-experimental studies, Cohort studies, Cross-sectional studies, and Qualitative studies.
