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People with Chronic Pain and Caregivers: Experiencing Loneliness and Coping with It

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Abstract

The present study examined the experience of loneliness and the ways of coping with its pain as utilized by people with chronic pain and caregivers. Specifically, a large sample (N = 827) recruited in two major pain clinics in Israel, completed the Loneliness and the Coping with loneliness questionnaires. Results indicated that patients had higher scores than caregivers in Emotional distress, Social inadequacy and alienation, Interpersonal isolation, and in Self-alienation. There was no significant difference between the groups in the Growth and discovery subscale. Comparing patients and caregivers on coping with loneliness, patients had higher scores than caregivers in Reflection and acceptance, and in Self-development and understanding. No significant difference between the groups was found in Social support, Distancing and denial, Religion and faith, and on Increased activity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. York University, Toronto, Canada

    Ami Rokach

  2. Walden University, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Ami Rokach

  3. Center for Academic Studies, Or Yehuda, Israel

    Ami Rokach

  4. Department of Behavioral Science, Peres Academic Center, Rehovot, Israel

    Eyal Rosenstreich

  5. Tel Aviv Medical Center, Institute of Pain Medicine, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Silviu Brill

  6. Sheba Medical Center, Pain Institute, Tel Hashomer, Israel

    Itay Goor Aryeh

Authors
  1. Ami Rokach
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  2. Eyal Rosenstreich
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  3. Silviu Brill
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  4. Itay Goor Aryeh
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Correspondence to Ami Rokach.

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The study was NOT funded.

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No conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Verbal informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Rokach, A., Rosenstreich, E., Brill, S. et al. People with Chronic Pain and Caregivers: Experiencing Loneliness and Coping with It. Curr Psychol 37, 886–893 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-017-9571-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-017-9571-2

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