Replication and extension of the link between the cardiovascular system and sensitivity to social pain in healthy adults

Association Between Self-Construals, Social Pain Sensitivity, and Gender in Young Adults

We experience pain in response to negative, unwanted social interaction with others (e.g., social rejection), and this type of pain is termed as social pain in the recent literature. While sensitivity to social pain may be beneficial to increase a chance for survival, social pain sensitivity could also be detrimental to elevate the risk of various health issues. Such opposing natures of social pain sensitivity warrants research to better identify factors that are linked to social pain sensitivity. Self-construals show perspectives on how to view oneself in relations to others, characterized as independent and interdependent self-construals, and may be linked to social pain sensitivity. Additionally, pervious data have indicated gender differences in social pain sensitivity, but it is unclear if self-construals explain gender differences in social pain sensitivity. Therefore, this study examined if self-construals were associated with social pain sensitivity, and gender differences in social pain sensitivity were accounted for by self-construals. The participants were 148 college students who completed several self-report questionnaires to evaluate self-construals and social pain sensitivity. The results indicated that interdependent tendency, which showed higher interdependent self-construal than independent self-construal, was associated with social pain sensitivity. While gender differences in social pain sensitivity were confirmed, gender differences in social pain sensitivity were not accounted for by interdependent tendency. The results suggest that interdependent tendency is associated with social pain sensitivity, but is not involved in gender differences in social pain sensitivity.

Prediction of pain responses to subsequent cold pressor test via baseline heart rate variability in healthy adults

BACKGROUND

Baseline heart rate variability (HRV) that reflects parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity may serve as an objective, physiological index of pain assessment, but more research is warranted to examine the link between HRV and laboratory pain responses. This study examined whether baseline HRV would predict pain responses to subsequent cold pressor test (CPT) in healthy adults.

METHODS

One hundred twenty-three participants completed resting HRV assessment and CPT consisting of immersing their right hand into a cold-water bath for a maximum of 2 minutes. Pain threshold and pain rating were assessed during CPT. Completion status of CPT, defined as completing CPT or terminating CPT before 2 minutes, was recorded as an additional laboratory pain measure. Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to examine the link between HRV and pain responses, whereas regression analysis was performed to test the prediction of pain responses via baseline HRV.

RESULTS

HF-HRV_log , which reflects PNS activity, was significantly associated with the CPT completion status (r = 0.23, p = 0.01), but not significantly associated with pain threshold (r = 0.17, p = 0.06) nor pain rating (r = -0.11, p = 0.24). HF- HRV_log was found to be a significant predictor of the CPT completion status (B = 0.53, p = 0.013).

CONCLUSIONS

Baseline HF- HRV_log may serve as an objective, physiological index to predict laboratory pain responses, and completion status of laboratory pain tests, such as CPT, may be used as a laboratory pain measure to capture important individual differences in pain processing.

Resting (Tonic) Blood Pressure Is Associated With Sensitivity to Imagined and Acute Experiences of Social Pain: Evidence From Three Studies

Social pain is a common experience that has potent implications for health. However, individuals differ in their sensitivity to social pain. Recent evidence suggests that sensitivity to social pain varies according to a biological factor that modulates sensitivity to physical pain: resting (tonic) blood pressure. The current studies extended this evidence by testing whether blood pressure relates to sensitivity to imagined (Study 1: N = 762, 51% female adults) and acute (Study 2, preregistered: N = 204, 57% female adults) experiences of social pain and whether associations extend to general emotional responding (Studies 1-3; Study 3: N = 162, 59% female adults). In line with prior evidence, results showed that higher resting blood pressure was associated with lower sensitivity to social pain. Moreover, associations regarding blood pressure and sensitivity to social pain did not appear to be explained by individual differences in general emotional responding. Findings appear to be compatible with the interpretation that social and physical pain share similar cardiovascular correlates and may be modulated by convergent interoceptive pathways.