The relationship between mindfulness and coping strategies among patients with chronic pain

Chronic pain is one of the important health problems that affect stress and anxiety. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between mindfulness and coping strategies in patients with chronic pain and compare it with non-patient individuals. In order to do so, in a descriptive correlational study, 140 patients with chronic pain and 144 non-patient individuals were selected through availability sampling method and evaluated for mindfulness and coping strategies via Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and Lazaros & Folkman Coping Strategy Questionnaire (CSQ). The resulted data analyzed by Pierson correlation revealed that the relation between mindfulness and emotion focused coping strategies is negative and significant in patient with chronic pain group; while this relation is not significant in non-patient group. Furthermore, there is a positive and significant relation between mindfulness and problem focused coping strategies in both groups. Z Fisher test results did not show any significant difference between two groups in problem focused coping strategies. These results demonstrated that people using higher levels of mindfulness, both in patients and non-patients groups, use the problem focused coping strategies more often. It could be concluded that developing mindfulness from an early age can be used as a preventative approach in order to promote employing problem focused coping strategies compare to emotional focused coping strategies; an issue that could predict individuals’ mental health and overall well being.