(178) The impact of event centrality on pain intensity and perceived disability among individuals with spinal cord injury

Event centrality refers to the extent to which an individual construes a stressful experience as central to their life story and identity. For instance, after suffering a spinal cord injury, a person may strongly identify themselves as a ‘person with a disability,’ or even a ‘chronic pain patient’ depending on their recovery status and the severity of their injury. Calling oneself a ‘person with a disability’ or a ‘chronic pain patient’ then forms a reference point for their personal identity. A plethora of studies have demonstrated that event centrality is related to a wide variety of stress-related outcomes, including depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and physical health symptoms.
Source: The Journal of Pain - Category: Materials Science Authors: Source Type: research