Abstract
Researchers have become increasingly interested in the social context of chronic pain
conditions. The purpose of this article is to provide an integrated review of the
evidence linking marital functioning with chronic pain outcomes including pain severity,
physical disability, pain behaviors, and psychological distress. We first present
an overview of existing models that identify an association between marital functioning
and pain variables. We then review the empirical evidence for a relationship between
pain variables and several marital functioning variables including marital satisfaction,
spousal support, spouse responses to pain, and marital interaction. On the basis of
the evidence, we present a working model of marital and pain variables, identify gaps
in the literature, and offer recommendations for research and clinical work.
Perspective
The authors provide a comprehensive review of the relationships between marital functioning
and chronic pain variables to advance future research and help treatment providers
understand marital processes in chronic pain.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
January 3,
2006
Received in revised form:
November 16,
2005
Received:
May 10,
2005
Identification
Copyright
© 2006 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
