We examined the relationship between marital status and a 2-stage model of pain-related effect, consisting of pain unpleasantness and suffering. We studied 1914 chronic pain patients using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) to clarify whether marital status was a determinant factor in the emotional or ideational suffering associated with chronic pain after controlling for pain sensation intensity, age, and ethnicity. Marital status was unrelated to immediate unpleasantness ( ). We found a strong association with emotional suffering ( ) but not with negative illness beliefs ( ). Interestingly, widowed subjects experienced significantly less frustration, fear, and anger than all other groups (married, divorced, separated, or single). A final MANCOVA including sex as a covariate revealed that the emotional response to pain was the same for both widow and widower. Only those individuals whose spouse died experienced less emotional turmoil in the face of a condition threatening their lifestyle. These data suggest that after experiencing the death of a spouse, an individual may derive some “emotional inoculation” against future lifestyle threat. 1. Introduction High levels of happiness or well-being are associated with beneficial outcomes, such as healthy development of young adults [1] and longevity [2]. Research conducted internationally points to a strong association between level of social support and well-being [3]. Helliwell et al. [4] used data from the World Gallup Poll and found that the strength of an individual’s social network determined their well-being. A study conducted in Seoul, South Korea [5], showed that individuals who had somebody to “lean on” in times of trouble reported higher well-being. In a South African study, those residents reporting the strongest feelings of well-being also enjoyed the greatest amount of social support from community members [6]. Conversely, in a study conducted in five countries throughout Asia, results indicated that lacking somebody to discuss important matters with was associated with lower well-being [7]. In a Belgian study [8], higher levels of life satisfaction were associated with strong social ties, even after adjusting for levels of optimism. In Germany, those people who reported a high frequency of visiting friends, relatives, or neighbors were almost 20% more satisfied with their lives [9]. These data suggest that the strength of social ties is associated with well-being and life satisfaction throughout the world. Marriage is associated with longer life and better health in both men and
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