Friend or foe? A thematic analysis on adult friendships and chronic pain

Abstract

Background: Chronic pain is a worldwide public health challenge. Despite chronic pain having biopsychosocial dimensions, its social contexts are less investigated. Although current evidence shows that chronic pain shapes and is shaped by interactions with romantic partners, research about friendships and chronic pain is scarce, and mostly focused on adolescents. Aim: Drawing upon theories on friendship and social support, this study aimed to investigate the role of adult friendships on chronic pain adjustment and, the effect of chronic pain on adult friendships. Methods: This study drew upon a qualitative descriptive methodology. Sixteen adults with primary or secondary (non-cancer) chronic pain participated in individual semi-structured interviews, conducted using voice over internet protocol applications. Data analysis was guided by Clarke and Brown's guidelines for thematic analysis. Results: The analysis of participants’ (87.5% women; Mage = 43 years) stories revealed two themes. The first captured how friends promote/hinder adjustment to chronic pain by being: (1) (un)available and providing (un)needed support; and (2) (not)accepting and (not)accommodating to support life engagement. The second captured the negative effect of chronic pain on both parties’ attitudes and behaviors towards the relationship, leading to smaller and more homogeneous friendship networks. Conclusions: This study stresses the relevance of including adult friends in interventions to reduce the negative effect of chronic pain on friendships, harnessing their power to promote chronic pain adjustment. The findings bring new insights on a topic that has rarely been investigated in the pain field, hence pointing out innovative directions for future research and practice.