The Moderating Role of Familism on Stressful Life Events, PTSD Symptoms, and Centralized Pain Symptoms Among Latinx Adults With Chronic Pain

Latinx adults with chronic pain often experience stressful life events that can lead to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. While previous research has linked PTSD symptoms to central sensitization-characterized by heightened pain responsiveness-little is known about these relationships among Latinx adults. We address this gap by examining the association between stressful life events and centralized pain symptoms, with PTSD symptoms as a mediator and familism as a moderator. The sample included 259 adults (M-age = 33.05, SD = 11.46). Findings revealed that PTSD symptoms served as a partial mediator in the relationship between stressful life events and centralized pain symptoms, accounting for 49.8% of the variance. Stressful life events were significantly associated with increased centralized pain symptoms (beta = 2.18, p < .001), and PTSD symptoms significantly mediated this association (beta = 1.32, p < .001). Familism was associated with reduced PTSD (beta = -0.43, p < .001) and centralized pain symptoms (beta = -6.01, p = .02), but did not moderate the effects of stressful life events on PTSD symptoms (p = .20) or centralized pain symptoms (p = .68). Results underscore the importance of assessing PTSD exposure and symptoms in Latinx adults with chronic pain. They also suggest that familism may play a role in pain experiences, highlighting the need for culturally informed approaches to pain management. Future research should further investigate cultural and contextual factors that may influence pain outcomes in Latinx populations.