the relationship between coping strategies, depression, physical disability, and pain intensity in people with chronic back pain

aim and background: psychological factors have a pivotal role in the chronicity of diseases. chronic pain may lead to depression and disabilities in patients, which may change their quality of life and life style. the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between coping strategies, depression, physical disability, and pain intensity in people with chronic back pain. method and materials: a sample of 70 patients, who had chronic back pain (age range between 19 to 64 years) and referred to imam reza orthopedic clinic in arak, iran, was selected. they answered the questionnaires of coping strategies, bdi-ii (beck), physical disability, and pain intensity rating scale. data were analyzed by spss for windows (version 17; spss inc., chicago, il., usa) using regression analysis and correlation analysis. findings: data analysis showed that catastrophizing (a coping strategy) has a direct correlation with depression, physical disability, and pain intensity (p < 0.01). the results also showed that depression was directly related to pain intensity and physical disabilities, and inversely related to coping efficacy (p < 0.01 in all cases). moreover, physical disability was inversely related to ignoring the pain, reinterpretation of pain (in both cases p < 0.01), and controlling the pain (p < 0.05), and directly related to pain intensity (p < 0.01). moreover, catastrophizing was inversely related to coping efficacy (in both cases p < 0.01). conclusions: the current study showed that the use of ineffective coping strategies, like catastrophizing, in problems such as chronic pain can worsen the conditions and have some negative consequences such as more depression, physical disability, and pain. therefore, intervention and training of efficient coping strategies may lead to patients coping effectivley with chronic pain.