[Spontaneous use of active and passive coping strategies for pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

The aim of the study was to determine association between active and passive pain coping strategies with some psychological and functional variables in 67 chronic RA patients. Active strategies reveal negative association with helplessness with as results of illness, and passive strategies reveal positive association with depression, helplessness and functional impairment. The patients who are using mostly active pain coping strategies reveal significantly less helplessness in coping with RA.