The Effects of Partners’ Helping Motivation on Chronic Pain Patients’ Functioning Over Time

Abstract

To understand when and why the provision of help by a partner of an individual with chronic pain (ICP) yields benefits, it is critical, according to self-determination theory, to consider the extent to which partners’ helping responses are supportive of the basic psychological needs of the ICP, as well as the motivations underlying these helping responses. The present study (N = 141 couples), spanning 3 measurement moments over 6 months, investigated temporal associations between partners’ helping motivation, ICPs’ psychological needs, and ICPs’ functioning across time (ie, well-being, psychological distress, and disability). Results showed that partners’ autonomous or volitional helping motivation (time 1) predicted decreases in ICPs’ need frustration (time 2) and ICPs’ need frustration (time 2) predicted increases in ICPs’ psychological distress (time 3). Further, ICPs’ need satisfaction (time 2) predicted increases in well-being (time 3) and decreases in psychological distress (time 3). The link between need frustration and ICPs’ well-being (time 1-time 2) was bidirectional, with both relating reciprocally to one another over time. Finally, the associations between ICPs’ disability and both partners’ helping motivation and ICPs’ need-based experiences were nonsignificant. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed.Perspective: Partners’ helping motivations and ICPs’ psychological needs seem to be important to consider when investigating the role of spousal responses, because they could (indirectly) predict changes in the well-being and psychological distress of ICPs over time.