Motivational Correlates of Self-Reported Persistent Pain in Young Adults

OBJECTIVE: We sought to illustrate that personal goals can provide a meaningful context within which to interpret physical pain and that persistent (nonclinical) pain correlates with dysfunctional goal evaluation for young adults. DESIGN: A total of 127 college students reporting either no pain or persistent physical pain completed the Goal System Assessment Battery, a set of questionnaires designed to gauge stable and accessible representations of self-regulated goal pursuit. RESULTS: The results supported the general contention that persons experiencing persistent pain (at subclinical levels) tend to evaluate their important life goals in a "problematic" fashion. Specifically, the presence of persistent pain was associated with lower ratings of self-efficacy, self-monitoring, self-reward, and less positive arousal. CONCLUSIONS: The pattern of goal construal produced by this young and generally healthy group of college students reflects cognitive-motivational dysfunctions possibly presaging pain-schemes in later life.