269: When the Social Foundations of the World Are Disrupted: Suffering in Pain and Stress

Topic: Clinical Science
Subtopic: Non-specific to any diagnosis, Psychology

Background and Aims: Chronic pain is a debilitating condition shaped by biological, psychological, and social factors. Stress has been linked to pain; however, its role in the interplay between pain and suffering remains underexplored. The aim of this study was to explore how pain and stress shape the lived experience of suffering among individuals living with chronic pain.

Methods: This study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and recruited six participants living with chronic non-cancer pain. Each participant completed two interviews conducted at different times, using two distinct interview guides. The first interview was exploratory in nature, while the second focused on the role of stress in their experience.

Results: Disruptions to the social foundations of participants’ worlds were central to their experiences of pain-related suffering. While stress appeared in their accounts, it was mainly a socially situated experience rather than a central theme. Three overarching themes were identified:
(1) Pain intensity is not enough to explain suffering; the social aspects are central.
(2) Pain disrupts the social structure of the world.
(3) Tension between social normality and the validation of lived pain experiences.

Conclusions: These results contribute to a better understanding of how pain-related suffering can be experienced through disruptions to the social foundations of the lived world. Further research should explore how to better address these disruptions in chronic pain management strategies.

References: NA

Presenting Author: Mael Gagnon Mailhot
Submitting Author: Mael Gagnon Mailhot

Senior Author: Gabrielle Pagé

IASP 2026 Global Year theme of Neuropathic Pain: No

• Mael Gagnon Mailhot: PhD - McGill University
• Peter Stilwell: PhD - University of Southern Denmark
• Catherine Isadora Côté: BSc - Montreal University
• Timothy H. Wideman: PhD - McGill University
• Gabrielle Pagé: PhD - Montreal University