Abstract
A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate overall strengths of relation between self-efficacy
(SE) and functioning (pain severity, functional impairment, affective distress) in
chronic pain samples, as well as potential moderating effects of sociodemographic
characteristics and methodologic factors on these associations. In sum, 86 samples
(N = 15,616) fulfilled selection criteria for analysis. SE had negative overall correlations
with impairment, affective distress, and pain severity although considerable heterogeneity
was observed for all effect sizes. Age, pain duration, SE scale content (SE for functioning
despite pain vs SE for pain control vs SE for managing other symptoms such as emotional
distress) and type of impairment measure (self-report vs task performance) had significant
moderating effects on SE–impairment associations. SE–affective distress relations
were moderated by employment status and SE scale content. Finally, moderator analyses
of studies having longitudinal designs indicated associations between baseline SE,
and each outcome at follow-up remained significant in prospective studies that had
statistically controlled for effects of baseline responses on that outcome. Hence,
SE is a robust correlate of key outcomes related to chronic pain and a potentially
important risk/protective factor that has implications for subsequent functioning
in affected groups.
Perspective
Meta-analysis indicated that SE has significant overall associations with impairment,
affective distress, and pain severity within chronic pain samples and identified several
factors that contribute to variability in effect sizes. Findings highlighted SE as
a robust correlate and potentially important risk/protective factor for subsequent
adjustment in affected groups.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 27, 2014
Footnotes
T.J. and Yal.W. contributed equally to this work.
Funding was provided by a grant from Chinese National Natural Science Foundation (no. 31371037) and a Chongqing 100 Persons Fellowship to T.J. and support from Chinese National Natural Science Foundation (no. 31100760) to H.F.
No conflicts of interest were associated with the conduct of this study.
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© 2014 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
