BACKGROUND: Manipulated anger suppression has been shown to heighten pain and anger responses to pain. PURPOSE: We examined whether individual differences in self-reported anger suppression predicted pain, anger, and blood pressure responses to acute pain. METHODS: Healthy participants (N = 47) underwent an anger-provoking speech task followed by a cold pressor pain task. Participants reported their degree of suppression of thoughts and feelings related to the speech. Pain intensity ratings were obtained throughout the cold pressor. Self-reported anger, anxiety and positive emotion, as well as ratings of sensory, general distress, and anger-specific elements of pain were obtained following the cold pressor. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) were recorded throughout. RESULTS: Self-reported suppression predicted greater pain intensity ratings, perception of sensory and anger-specific elements of pain, and self-reported anger in response to the cold pressor. Associations between self-reported suppression and pain intensity and ratings of anger-specific elements of pain were statistically mediated by pain-induced changes in self-reported anger, whereas the effect of suppression on sensory pain ratings was not. Self-reported suppression was also correlated inversely with SBP responses to the cold pressor. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with an ironic process model and prior studies involving experimental manipulation of suppression, self-reported suppression of anger predicted greater pain intensity and perception of the anger-specific element of pain. Findings also suggest that suppression might attenuate homeostatic pressor responses to acute pain.
BACKGROUND: Manipulated anger suppression has been shown to heighten pain and anger responses to pain. PURPOSE: We examined whether individual differences in self-reported anger suppression predicted pain, anger, and blood pressure responses to acute pain. METHODS: Healthy participants (N = 47) underwent an anger-provoking speech task followed by a cold pressor pain task. Participants reported their degree of suppression of thoughts and feelings related to the speech. Pain intensity ratings were obtained throughout the cold pressor. Self-reported anger, anxiety and positive emotion, as well as ratings of sensory, general distress, and anger-specific elements of pain were obtained following the cold pressor. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) were recorded throughout. RESULTS: Self-reported suppression predicted greater pain intensity ratings, perception of sensory and anger-specific elements of pain, and self-reported anger in response to the cold pressor. Associations between self-reported suppression and pain intensity and ratings of anger-specific elements of pain were statistically mediated by pain-induced changes in self-reported anger, whereas the effect of suppression on sensory pain ratings was not. Self-reported suppression was also correlated inversely with SBP responses to the cold pressor. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with an ironic process model and prior studies involving experimental manipulation of suppression, self-reported suppression of anger predicted greater pain intensity and perception of the anger-specific element of pain. Findings also suggest that suppression might attenuate homeostatic pressor responses to acute pain.
Authors: Eric L Garland; Craig J Bryan; Yoshio Nakamura; Brett Froeliger; Matthew O Howard Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2016-12-08 Impact factor: 4.530
Authors: E R Thakur; H J Holmes; N A Lockhart; J N Carty; M S Ziadni; H K Doherty; J M Lackner; H Schubiner; M A Lumley Journal: Neurogastroenterol Motil Date: 2017-06-22 Impact factor: 3.598
Authors: Anne N Nisenzon; Steven Z George; Jason M Beneciuk; Laura D Wandner; Calia Torres; Michael E Robinson Journal: Clin J Pain Date: 2014-06 Impact factor: 3.442