Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Relationship Between Pain, Depression, and Family Health

Past research suggests that there is a positive relationship between pain and depression in those with fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis, and negative relationship between depression and family health. However, these relationships have not been examined together using hierarchical linear modeling. Participants were 90 patients with either a fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis. A series of questionnaires were used to measure depression, pain, and family health. Using a path analysis it was determined that pain was significantly associated with depression, such that as pain increased by one standard deviation depression increased by .48 standard deviations (β = .48, p \u3c .05). Depression was also significantly associated with family health as depression increased by one standard deviation, family health decreased by .23 standard deviations (β = -.23, p \u3c .05). The relationship between all three of these variables, pain, depression and family health, suggests social support should be considered a target of therapy and services as soon as clients experiencing pain are seen by mental health or health professionals as a proactive attempt to stave off more negative consequences of the pain experienced in this patient group