Rheumatoid Arthritis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Rheumatoid Arthritis, including details on treatment, symptoms, causes, medication.

Individual differences in emotional processing and reactivity to pain among older women with rheumatoid arthritis.

Hamilton NA, Zautra AJ, Reich J

Department of Psychology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USA. nancyh@ku.edu

The purpose of the current study was to determine whether the relationship between pain and emotion may be better understood by identifying people who are more vulnerable to emotional dysregulation and those who are able to regulate emotion. Data were collected from 81 women diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. We assessed affect intensity, emotion regulation, active coping, neuroticism as well as weekly reports of pain, positive affect, and negative affect. Results indicated that the joint effects of emotion regulation and emotional intensity predicted emotional responses to pain. The current study suggests that the emotional impact of pain is related to emotional intensity which can be tempered by the ability to regulate emotion.

Published 22 January 2007 in Clin J Pain, 23(2): 165-72.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Rheumatoid Arthritis Research Today. All Rights Reserved.