Mindful Nonreactivity Moderates the Relationship Between Chronic Stress and Pain Interference in Law Enforcement Officers

With high levels of both chronic stress and chronic pain, law enforcement provides a unique population in which to study the potential mitigating impact of cognitive and affective reactivity on the stress-pain link. The primary aim of the present study was to examine the moderating role of mindful nonreactivity in the relationship between chronic stress and pain interference in law enforcement officers (n = 60). A regression analysis was conducted to determine if chronic stress predicted pain interference and, subsequently, to compute an estimate of the interaction effect of the chronic stress and mindful nonreactivity on pain interference. Results demonstrated the overall model was significant, F (3,55) = 5.29, p = .003, R-2 = .47. When controlling for mindful nonreactivity, chronic stress significantly predicted pain interference, b = .76, t (55) = 3.40, p = .001, such that every one unit increase in chronic stress was associated with a .76 unit increase in pain interference. Results also demonstrated a significant interaction effect of mindful nonreactivity and chronic stress on pain interference, b = - .04, t (55) = - 2.86, p = .006. The Johnson-Neyman technique was conducted and revealed among individuals with low levels of mindful nonreactivity, chronic stress significantly predicted pain interference. However, for individuals with greater levels of mindful nonreactivity, chronic stress no longer predicted pain interference. Findings contribute to a growing understanding of how mindfulness can mitigate harmful effects of stress.