Affect, work-goal schemas, and work-goal striving among adults with chronic pain: a multilevel structural equation analysis

Abstract

For individuals with chronic pain, the within-person influence of affect and goal cognition on daily work-related goal striving is not yet well understood. The present study tested the hypothesis that anticipatory goal cognition in the form of a morning work goal schema mediates the relations between morning affect and later (afternoon and evening) work goal striving. Working adults with chronic pain (N = 131) completed a 21-day diary with morning, afternoon, and evening assessments analyzed via multi-level structural equation modeling. At the within-person level, morning positive and negative affect were positively associated with morning work goal schemas; and morning work goal schemas, in turn, positively predicted both afternoon and evening work goal striving. Our findings underscore the complex dynamics over time of the relationship between affect and self-regulatory processes and have implications for future studies and for interventions to assist working adults with chronic pain.

How and for whom does a positive affect intervention work in fibromyalgia: An analysis of mediators and moderators

“…These results are in line with findings from another study showing a positive association between positive and negative affect and goal representations. These representations facilitate goal pursuit and are related to depression levels (Karoly & Ruehlman, ; Mun, Karoly, Okun, Kim, & Tennen, ). This study represents a first step that opens up the possibility of carrying out research to test whether positive affect is a causal and significant buffer between pain and pain‐related outcomes (Reme, ).…”

Individual differences and day-to-day fluctuations in goal planning and type 1 diabetes management.

“…Such fluctuations may reflect situational factors that undermine or facilitate goal planning or effort in daily life. Daily diary studies examining adults with chronic pain have identified personal and situational factors such as daily pain, fatigue, and positive or negative affect that contribute to day-to-day fluctuations in daily goal planning, goal effort, and ultimately goal progress (Affleck et al, 2001; Karoly et al, 2014; Mun, Karoly, Okun, Kim, & Tennen, 2016). Mulvaney and colleagues (2011) identified barriers to T1D management in younger adolescents, but late adolescents may experience unique daily barriers as they manage their T1D increasingly away from home and more independently from parents (Wdowik, Kendall, & Harris, 1997).…”