Self-conscious emotions in patients suffering from chronic musculoskeletal pain: A brief report
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVE: The role of self-conscious emotions (SCEs) including shame, guilt, humiliation and embarrassment are of increasing interest within health. Yet, little is known about SCEs in the experience of chronic pain. This study explored prevalence and experience of SCEs in chronic pain patients compared to controls and assessed the relationship between SCEs and disability in pain patients. DESIGN AND MEASURES: Questionnaire assessment comparing musculoskeletal pain patients (n=64) and pain-free control participants (n=63). Pain was assessed using the McGill Pain Questionnaire; disability, using the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire; and six SCEs derived from three measures (i) Test of Self-Conscious Affect-3 yielding subscales of shame, guilt, externalisation and detachment (ii) The Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale and (iii) The Pain Self-Perception Scale assessing mental defeat. RESULTS: Significantly greater levels of shame, guilt, fear of negative evaluation and mental defeat were observed in chronic pain patients compared to controls. In the pain group, SCE variables significantly predicted affective pain intensity; only mental defeat was significantly related to disability. CONCLUSION: Findings highlight the prevalence of negative SCEs and their importance in assessment and management of chronic pain. The role of mood in this relationship is yet to be explored.
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Individuals with CP report greater levels of guilt than pain-free controls.
“some findings suggest that individuals with CP report greater levels of guilt than pain-free controls.134”
From <p>Pain and Evil: From Local Nociception to Misery Following Social Harm</p> (2020) · cites this paper as [134]
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- Authors
- Turner-Cobb, J. M., Michalaki, M., & Osborn, M.
- Affiliations
- Royal United Hospital (GB)
- Venue
- Psychology & Health
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2015-01-02
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 495-501
- ISSN
- 0887-0446 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-8321
- OpenAlex
- W2025629037
- Cited by
- 35
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 0.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- Licence
- other-oa
- Locations
- Psychology and Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Bournemouth University Research Online (Bournemouth University) (acceptedVersion)
- Pure (University of Bath) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
- The University of Bath Online Publications Store (The University of Bath) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- McGill University
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
- Keywords
- self-conscious emotions, chronic musculoskeletal pain, shame, guilt, fear of negative evaluation, mental defeat, disability, humiliation, embarrassment, externalization, detachment
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Emotions, Female, Guilt, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pain Measurement, Self Concept, Shame, Case-Control Studies, Young Adult, Chronic Pain, Musculoskeletal Pain
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