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Psychology of Pain, Self-Efficacy

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Encyclopedia of Pain

Synonyms

Outcome expectancies; Confidence in Coping Abilities; self-efficacy

Definition

Self-Efficacy was originally defined as ‘belief in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the course of action required to produce given attainments’ (Bandura 1977). In research addressing the role of self-efficacy in the context of pain-related outcomes, self-efficacy has been described as an individuals’ confidence in their ability to control or manage various aspects of health conditions associated with pain, such as pain symptoms, fatigue, distress and disability (Lorig et al. 1989). In pain research, self-efficacy has been operationally defined in terms of one’s overall confidence in the ability to deal with symptoms, stresses or limitations associated with a pain condition (e.g. Anderson et al. 1995; Lorig et al. 1989), or in terms of the ability to manage, control or decrease specificcomponents of symptoms or disability (e.g. ability to decrease pain, ability to complete certain...

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Michael J. L. Sullivan

Authors
  1. Michael J. L. Sullivan
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Physiological Institute, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany

    Robert F. Schmidt

  2. Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA

    William D. Willis

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© 2007 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Sullivan, M. (2007). Psychology of Pain, Self-Efficacy. In: Schmidt, R., Willis, W. (eds) Encyclopedia of Pain. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29805-2_3640

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29805-2_3640

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-43957-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-29805-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine

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