![]() ![]() 6– 9 For example, a study by Schmitt et al reported lower perceived pain intensity ratings when burn patients were distracted using a virtual reality system during their therapy sessions relative to a control condition. 2 Indeed, there are lots of studies reporting reduced pain perception when participants are distracted. 5 This suggests that engagement in cognitive tasks results in the inhibition of attention and neuronal responses to painful stimuli. 3 Therefore, the presence of painful stimuli in conjunction with cognitive tasks causes the two stimuli to compete for attention, which results in a suppressed pain processing. 4 According to this model, when a substantial amount of attention is devoted to a primary task, it leaves limited attentional resources for secondary tasks. 1, 2 The current understanding of attention and its pain modulating effect revolves around Kahneman’s 3 model of limited attentional resource. The experience of pain is subjective and modifiable through a broad range of cognitive factors, including attention and pain anticipation. Keywords: distractions, pain attenuation, sensory focusing, trait anxiety Future explorations are necessary to develop a more specific understanding on the nature of information and distractions on pain perception. These findings imply that the effectiveness of attention strategies in attenuating pain is affected by individuals’ pain-related trait anxiety.Ĭonclusion: The results suggest the importance of appointing the appropriate attention strategy to different individuals with varying level of trait anxiety. Furthermore, pain-related anxiety was a significant moderator of attention and pain attenuation. However, attention strategies do significantly relate to pain perception. Results: Two structural equation models revealed that anticipation is not a predictor of pain perception and neither did it interact with pain-related trait anxiety. The moderating effects of pain-related trait anxiety on these variables were also investigated using Pain Anxiety Symptom Scale Short Form. The pain stimulus was delivered in a form of heat. ![]() Participants were randomized into 1) InfoControl group with distraction task trial (n=30), 2) InfoControl group with attention to pain trial (n=26), 3) InfoExtra group with distraction task trial (n=26), or 4) InfoExtra group with attention to pain trial (n=25). Attention was manipulated through a sensory focusing task and a distraction task. Pain anticipation was manipulated by varying the amount of information given to participants about a future pain stimulus. The current study measured the effect of pain anticipation and attention on three aspects of pain perception: threshold, tolerance, and perceived pain intensity. Participants and methods: One hundred seven participants, comprising of 72 (67%) females and 35 (33%) males between the age of 17 and 48 (M=22.6, SD =4.36), were used in the analysis. This article may contribute to clinical treatments quality, where pain attenuation effect is desired. Pain-related trait anxiety was found to moderate the effect that attention strategies impose on pain perception. ![]() Purpose: This article highlights the influence of attention and pain anticipation on pain attenuation. Psychology Department, James Cook University, Singapore
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