Beliefs About the Controllability of Pain: Congruence Between Older Adults With Cancer and Their Family Caregivers

Family dyadic beliefs about pain controllability were examined to determine what influence they had on patient symptom distress and subjective caregiver burden. The Calgary Family Assessment and Intervention Models and Illness Beliefs Model guided this investigation. Self-report questionnaires were administered to a sample of 81 family dyads that consisted of ambulatory cancer care older adult outpatients and their family caregivers. Inferential statistics indicated that family dyads were congruent in their beliefs about pain controllability. Descriptive statistics showed that family dyads with beliefs that the pain was controllable had less symptom distress and caregiver burden than dyads with beliefs that pain was not controllable. Results suggest that family dyadic beliefs that cancer-related pain is controllable have a positive influence on family pain control outcomes. Findings also support the need for nurses to include family members when developing pain management interventions for older adults.