Coping Strategies in Chronic Pain

Abstract

Patients with chronic pain need strategies to manage their pain and its impact, also known as coping. Coping is not restricted to one dimension of functioning; it involves virtually every dimension of human functioning: cognitive, affective, behavioral, and physiological. We review the literature on coping strategies for chronic pain, including concept and types of coping (eg, religious, social, psychological), as well as coping-with-pain questionnaires, studies available, other topics of interest, interventions to enhance coping with pain, and future directions in this field.