Verbalization of emotion in chronic pain patients and their psychological adjustment.

Little attention has been paid to the issue of emotional verbalization in people undergoing chronic situations. We addressed this issue in the present study focusing on chronic pain patients. Our study investigated the verbalization of their health-related emotions, as well as the role of interpersonal variables on patients' disclosure, and their relation to their psychological adjustment. Results indicate that chronic pain patients talk more frequently about their illness with their intimates. Yet, the medical staff represents a favored sharing target as it elicits the highest satisfaction degree. Results also reveal that others' social constraint behavior and lack of credibility of sufferers' health status negatively predict patients' psychological adjustment. Therefore, the social environment appears to play a significant part in patients' well-being. Copyright 2004 SAGE Publications