Avoidance and endurance in chronic pain: A self- regulation perspective

This chapter focuses on two vexing aspects of coping with daily activities while experiencing pain-the tendency to avoid actions that are perceived as exacerbating the pain (avoidance), and the tendency to endure pain by persistent engagement in ongoing activities (endurance). Based on theoretical approaches such as the fear-avoidance and the avoidance-endurance models of pain, the chapter provides insights into the wide variety of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral pain responses that are related to an avoidant or endurance pain response style and aspects of dysfunctionality. Several specific response patterns are identified that mirror dysfunctional avoidance or endurance in addition to an adaptive pattern. The chapter provides preliminary evidence from both clinical and experimental research and is based on selected models of goal striving as conceptualized within a broad self-regulation perspective.