The indirect relationship of self-kindness and anxiety and pain intensity through the affectivity: prospective study in Polish patients with chronic pain

Introduction As previous research suggests, self-compassion may be an effective way of managing pain and protecting against mental health disorders in patients struggling with chronic pain. On the other hand, the role of emotional well-being in these relationships remains unexplained. Based on the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, this study assumed that self-kindness can be indirectly related to pain intensity and anxiety via positive and negative affect. Methods This prospective study was conducted at two time points, with a 4-month break between the first and second research waves, on the 58 participants struggling with chronic pain for at least three months despite pharmacological treatment. Results Research revealed that self-kindness positively predicts positive affect and negatively predicts negative affect. Positive affect was not a statistically significant predictor of anxiety, but it statistically significantly predicted pain intensity. Negative affect was found to be a positive predictor of anxiety, but not intensity. The indirect negative relationship between self-kindness and pain intensity, through positive affect, was found to be the same as the negative relationship between self-kindness and anxiety via negative affect. Conclusion Enhancing self-kindness as a strength of character, through increased positive affect and decreased negative affect, may be related to pain intensity and anxiety symptoms in patients with chronic pain. The need for using self-kindness techniques, both in daily life and as part of a strategic intervention for a group of patients with chronic pain, was discussed.