Journal article

Publication year: 2017

Pages: 1155-1162

Journal: Journal of Pain Research

Volume number: 10

ISSN: 1178-7090

Open access status: Gold

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S129872

Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group

Abstract: 

Background: Experiences of social pain due to social exclusion may be processed in similar neural systems that process experiences of physical pain. The present study aimed to extend the findings on social exclusion and pain by examining the impact of social exclusion on an affective (ie, heat pain tolerance) and a sensory component of pain (ie, heat pain intensity). Whether a potential effect may be moderated by chronic life stress, social status, or social support was further examined.

Materials and methods: A community-based sample of 59 women was studied. Social exclusion and inclusion were experimentally manipulated by using a virtual ball-tossing game called Cyberball in which participants were randomly assigned to either being excluded or being included by two other virtual players. Heat pain tolerance and intensity were assessed before and after the game. Potential psychosocial moderators were assessed via a questionnaire.

Results: The main finding of this study is that chronic stress moderates the impact of social exclusion on pain tolerance (p<0.05). When chronic stress was high, socially excluded participants showed a lower heat pain tolerance than participants who were socially included. Contrary to the authors' hypothesis, pain sensitivity was increased in socially included participants compared with socially excluded participants after the game (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Higher levels of chronic stress may enhance the vulnerability of affective pain processing to acute social exclusion.

Harvard Citation style: Pieritz, K., Schaefer, S., Strahler, J., Rief, W. and Euteneuer, F. (2017) Chronic stress moderates the impact of social exclusion on pain tolerance: an experimental investigation, Journal of Pain Research, 10, pp. 1155-1162. https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S129872

APA Citation style: Pieritz, K., Schaefer, S., Strahler, J., Rief, W., & Euteneuer, F. (2017). Chronic stress moderates the impact of social exclusion on pain tolerance: an experimental investigation. Journal of Pain Research. 10, 1155-1162. https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S129872