McCracken, K., Raftery-Helmer, J., Stoner, A., & Tran, S. T. (2024, April). Examining Grit’s Role in Mitigating the Impact of Chronic Pain on Quality of Life and Coping Efficacy in Emerging Adults [Poster Presentation]. The Society of Pediatric Psychology Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, United States.

Abstract

Introduction: Pain is a complex phenomenon across populations, and emerging research examines potential protective factors for pain outcomes. Psychological resilience (grit) is linked to increased pain tolerance and threshold, healthcare skills, and quality of life in college students with chronic medical conditions. While existing literature highlights connections between pain, grit, and coping, a gap remains in understanding how these relationships manifest in the context of emerging adults navigating chronic pain. This study aims to explore how grit may serve as a protective safeguard among emerging adults experiencing chronic pain.

Methods: Undergraduate students (26.3% freshman, 81.6% female) in psychology courses at 3 universities with chronic pain completed measures of grit, HRQoL, and coping effectiveness. Of these participants, 75.7% identified as white, and 85.1% as non-Hispanic. We conducted correlations between variables and moderation analyses using the PROCESS macro to determine if grit moderated the effect of pain on HRQOL and coping effectiveness.

Results: Participants were 255 emerging adults with chronic pain. Higher coping efficacy was associated with greater HRQoL (r = .17 – .20, p < .05), and higher grit was associated with greater HRQoL (r = .35 – .39, p < .05). Grit moderated the relationship between worst pain intensity and pain coping efficacy; higher grit and pain coping increase with pain, while lower grit reduces pain coping (b = .09, SE = .03, p = .015).

Conclusions: Although grit was not found to act as a moderator between pain and HRQoL, it was identified as a moderator in the relationship between pain and coping efficacy. Understanding and acknowledging the role of grit as a protective factor in how emerging adults navigate pain is crucial, and providing insights into these associations highlights the potential for integrating grit-focused factors into interventions aimed at enhancing coping efficacy in emerging adults dealing with pain.

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