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Coping with Chronic Low Back Pain: An Idiographic Exploration through Focus Groups

Objective: This article explores the coping construct held by individuals with chronic low back pain. The research addresses two criteria identified as important for coping research: it looks at people's appraisals and responses to the specific stressor of living with chronic low back pain, and it seeks to identify what these individuals actually think and do in response to the ongoing stressor of living with chronic pain. Method: Fifteen people with chronic low back pain who responded to a media release participated in focus group discussions on coping with chronic pain. Results: Analysis indicated the desirability, if not need, for a somatic focus, the reliance on higher order cognitive strategies for planful action, and the use of a varied repertoire of coping strategies. Conclusions: These findings are discussed both in terms of adjustment to chronic illness and in relation to current pain management practices.