Self-regulation and chronic pain: The role of emotion

Adjustment to chronic pain is examined within the context of a model that emphasizes goal-centered self-regulatory processing. Individual differences in adjustment to chronic illness have typically been examined from within the framework of stressful person-environment transactions. However, it may be useful to examine a broader array of person-environment transactions encountered in the context of working toward personal goals. Self-regulation may be especially challenging for people with chronic pain because of the link between pain and emotion. Consistent with this perspective, we will focus on the role of emotion as an energizing force in self-regulation and discuss the implications for managing pain. We will suggest that pain and concomitant negative emotion pervasively bias information processing, constrain the selection of goals, and the ongoing process of self-regulation.