Comparison of Spiritual Health, Attachment Styles and Social Support in Students with and without Chronic Pain

Farzin Bagheri Sheykhangafshe¹ Fereshteh Rezazadeh Khalkhali² Hojjatollah Farahani³ Forough Esrafilian⁴

1) Ph.D. Student in Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
2) Master of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
3) Assistant Professor of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
4) Assistant Professor of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

IOI Code : XEAC-KEZFF
Publication : 1st International Conference and 2nd National Conference on Psychology and Religion(cpruma.ir)
Abstract :
    Introduction: Chronic pain is a medical condition that typically persists for six months or longer. This type of pain can vary in intensity and location and is considered a distinct issue. Chronic pain can result from physical, psychological, or a combination of both factors. In this regard, the present study aimed to compare spiritual health, attachment styles, and social support in university students with and without chronic pain. Method: The current research had a descriptive, comparative design. The study population consisted of students from Tarbiat Modares University and Alzahra University in the year 2023. A purposive sample of 300 students (150 with chronic pain and 150 without) was selected, and data were collected using questionnaires on chronic pain severity, spiritual health, attachment styles, and social support. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) in SPSS-24 software. Results: The results indicated that there were statistically significant differences in spiritual health, attachment styles, and social support between students with and without chronic pain (p < 0.01). Based on this, it was revealed that students with chronic pain had lower levels of spiritual health, secure attachment styles, and social support compared to other students (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The findings of the present study demonstrate that chronic pain has negative effects on the spiritual health, attachment styles, and social support of university students. Individuals with chronic pain have lower levels of these psychological and social factors compared to those without this type of pain. Therefore, proper management of chronic pain and the promotion of psychological and social well-being in individuals with chronic pain are crucial. To improve the quality of life for these individuals, there is a need for appropriate social and psychological support.

Keywords : spiritual health attachment styles social support chronic pain