Posttraumatic Growth and Pain Acceptance: A Profile Analysis of Chronic Pain Experience

A growing body of evidence suggests that the mindfulness process could facilitate posttraumatic growth (PTG). This positive psychological change is still understudied in the context of chronic pain. The aim of this cross-sectional study was (a) to provide typologies of people with chronic pain based on pain-related interference, inflexibility in pain, pain acceptance, and PTG, and (b) to examine if the identified profiles significantly differ on facets of dispositional mindfulness and health-related variables. A sample of 683 participants completed online questionnaires. A cluster analysis and mean score comparisons were conducted. Three clusters of people reflected different levels of pain disruption and perceived PTG: distressed, growing, and low disruption clusters. In comparison with the participants in the distressed cluster, those in the growing cluster reported better health outcomes and more dispositional mindfulness. However, in the low disruption cluster (i.e., low pain interference, low inflexibility, and high pain acceptance), higher levels of dispositional mindfulness were associated with a low level of perceived PTG. People who reported higher levels of mindfulness may also experience pain as less traumatic which may then decrease the likelihood of developing PTG. Thus, PTG is less likely to occur. More investigations taking into account traumatic pain disruption may benefit the understanding of the PTG/dispositional mindfulness relationship in people with chronic pain. Public Significance Statement Chronic pain can be perceived as traumatic when everyday life disruption leads to the shattering of fundamental beliefs. Posttraumatic growth may result from the struggle with these highly challenging circumstances. This positive psychological change must be distinguished from a mindful acceptance of pain.