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Social Support Attenuates Physiological Stress Responses and Experimental Pain Sensitivity to Cold Pressor Pain

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Social support improves health and has been shown to attenuate stress and pain. The precise characteristics of social support responsible for these effects, however, remain elusive.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the relative efficacy of social support versus a neutral non-verbal social presence to attenuate stress and pain.

Methods

Seventy-six participants provided pain ratings and task assessments during a cold pressor task (CPT) in one of three conditions: verbal social support, neutral non-support, or alone. Reactivity to the CPT was assessed via cardiovascular measures, cortisol, and subjective ratings.

Results

Participants receiving social support showed attenuated blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol reactivity, as well as reduced pain ratings, task difficulty, tension, and effort compared to neutral non-support and alone conditions.

Conclusions

Social support, not the mere presence of another individual, attenuated stress and pain during a CPT. Given the negative health consequences of stress and pain, clinical studies incorporating social support into medical procedures and treatments are warranted.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge Elizabeth Bigus, Alison Julien, Laura Lee Madigan, Kathryn Cyrus, and Sierra Gaffney for their help as important members of our research team, as well as Dr. Robert Strandburg for his guidance in manuscript preparation.

Authors Statement of Conflict of Interest and Adherence to Ethical Standards

Matthew Roberts, Rebecca Klatzkin, and Beth Mechlin declare that they have no conflict of interest. All procedures, including the informed consent process, were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Rhodes College, 2000 North Parkway, Memphis, TN, 38112, USA

    Matthew H. Roberts B.S. & Rebecca R. Klatzkin Ph.D.

  2. Department of Psychology, Earlham College, Richmond, IN, USA

    Beth Mechlin Ph.D.

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  1. Matthew H. Roberts B.S.
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Roberts, M.H., Klatzkin, R.R. & Mechlin, B. Social Support Attenuates Physiological Stress Responses and Experimental Pain Sensitivity to Cold Pressor Pain. ann. behav. med. 49, 557–569 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-015-9686-3

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