Socioeconomic Status, Reserve Capacity, and Depressive Symptoms Predict Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Examination of the Reserve Capacity Model

BACKGROUND: Guided by the reserve capacity model, we examined the roles of socioeconomic status (SES), reserve capacity, and negative emotions as determinants of pain in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). METHODS: The study used cross-sectional baseline data from 106 adults in a clinical trial comparing behavioral treatments for RA. Structural equation modeling evaluated the direct effects of SES, reserve capacity (helplessness, self-efficacy, social support) and negative emotions (stress and depressive symptoms) on pain, and the indirect effects of SES as mediated by reserve capacity and negative emotions. RESULTS: Results showed that low SES contributed to greater pain, through lower reserve capacity and higher negative emotions. Mediational analyses showed that reserve capacity and negative emotions partially mediated the effect of SES on pain. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that interventions that target negative emotions in patients with low SES may facilitate better pain control with RA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov NCT00072657; 02/2004