This exploratory study of pain reactions examined the effects of cognitive coping style, repeated trials, and cognitive strategy in addition to examining two cognitive assessment devices, an open-ended questionnaire and a think-aloud technique. College students (N = 80) were administered two pain trials of a cold pressor. Expected differences between Control, Distraction, Think-Silently, and Think-Aloud groups were not found. Almost all subjects attempted to cope regardless of instructed coping strategy. Copers and catastrophizers responded differently to self-efficacy level and strength, pain tolerance, and perceived pain. Changes in dependent measures due to a repeated cold pressor trial were found with increased anxiety, changes in self-efficacy, decreased heart rates, and increased perceived pain. Differences in high and low tolerance groups were found with associations of high tolerance with a coping cognitive style, low anxiety for catastrophizers, high anxiety for copers, consistent high self-efficacy level and strength for copers, no heart rate or perceived pain differences, an increased number of calculations for the Distraction group, and fewer statements for the Think-Aloud group. Sex differences were found with males demonstrating higher self-efficacy strength and pain tolerance levels than females. Within group differences were reviewed briefly as were unexpected results. The open-ended questionnaire was administered immediately following the second cold pressor trial and yielded information on cognitive coping style. The Think-Aloud assessment yielded considerably less information on cognitive activity but the content was generally supportive of the content of the open-ended questionnaire. The use of the think-aloud technique as a valid assessment device was questionable without training. Implications for future studies of pain examining / cognitive activity, with or without pretests, and possible mediating and accompanying variables were discussed. In addition, limitations in generalizability to chronic and clinical pain were reviewed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-10, Section: B, page: 3109. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_76171 |
| Contributors | FRENZEL, MARY PATRICIA., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 216 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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