Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)

School

Psychology

Advisor

Marcus Susan

Abstract

In the United States 100 million people live with pain and must negotiate complicated clinical decisions that lead to a variety of treatments to control pain, some of which are effective and some that are not. Social identity theory and attribution theory guided the development of the interview protocol and analysis plan. A qualitative study was conducted to explore the complex nature of living with chronic pain through the narratives of seventeen adults in chronic pain for at least 3 months. Structural and thematic approaches were used to analyze the data. The structural results revealed three groups of participants: those who were pain-free at the time of the study, those using non-opioid medications to manage pain (over-the-counter or prescription), and those using opioid medications. The narratives of chronic pain revealed the shared experience of managing the unpredictable ebb and flow of pain daily. The results also exposed confrontational and stigmatizing experiences with doctors on issues including how to express the severity of pain and request opioid medications. Many participants reported undertreatment for pain. They also noted that anxiety increased pain. All participants experienced stigma associated with chronic pain from sources such as employers, family, and friends. The results suggest that (a) an ecological model is useful for understanding the barriers to pain relief that patients experience, and (b) chronic pain might be better treated as a separate disease instead of a symptom associated with an underlying condition. The results also pointed to opportunities for positive social change including advocating for greater consensus on the definition and treatment of chronic pain, and the utility of a biopsychosocial approach to treat all aspects of the chronic pain experience.

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