Preference for Hedonic Goals in Fibromyalgia; Is It Always an Avoidance Mechanism? Looking the Relationship with Pain Acceptance from a Positive Psychology Perspective

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of openness to experience on pain acceptance through positive affect (PA) considering the moderating role of preference for mood management goals in women with fibromyalgia (FM). A cross-sectional study (n = 231) was carried out. A simple mediation model and a moderate mediation model were conducted by SPSS macro-PROCESS. Results showed that PA mediated positively the effect of openness to experience on acceptance (B = 0.46, SE = 0.80, t = 5,59; 95% CI = [0.3016, 0.6298], p < .001) and that the contribution of openness to experience to PA varied at different values of mood management goals (medium: - .04; ß = .40, p < .001; high: .95; ß = .61, p<.001). Findings may serve as a foundation for tailored interventions to promote activity through acceptance focusing on PA and mood management goals among women with medium to high level of hedonic goals.