Abstract
It is estimated that 80% of adults experience low back pain at some point in their life (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2019) and of those 80% that experience acute low back pain, approximately 20% will move on to experience chronic lower back pain (CLBP). The influence that chronic pain has on individuals can be extremely debilitating due to its effects on one’s mood, physical capabilities, and overall functioning (Gatchel et al., 2007). Due to the high rates and seriousness of CLBP it is important to explore variables that influence CLBP in order to target them in treatment. One of the primary constructs that may influence CLBP is physical activity. Exploring constructs related to physical activity, such as spousal support and mood, might help providers understand how to help clients with CLBP engage in physical activity to improve pain levels. This study examined archival daily diary data from 105 participants with CLBP. It aimed to explore how spousal support, affect, and physical activity may be related to each other and pain intensity among individuals with CLBP. Significant lagged results emerged highlighting within-person effects of positive affect on physical activity three hours later, such that more positive affect related to more physical activity within three hours. Additionally, significant within-person effects were found at the cross-sectional level between spousal support and affect and physical activity, affect and physical activity, and physical activity and pain intensity. Findings of this study offer insight on how to better treat individuals with CLBP with utilization of their spouses and targeting affect and physical activity through multidimensional approach to care.