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Interactive Effects of Viewing a Contraction Monitor and Information-Seeking Style on Reported Childbirth Pain

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Abstract

The effects of attention to sensory information(viewing the contraction monitor), information-seekingstyles (monitoring and blunting), cognitive copingstrategies (attention, distraction, control), anxiety, and self-efficacy expectancies on women's painreports during childbirth were studied. Forty-eightwomen completed questionnaires upon admission to thelabor room, and reported their pain on an analogue scale while viewing and not viewing thecontraction monitor during the active phase of labor.They were interviewed again at the maternity ward 1 to2 days later. Monitors experienced less pain, andblunters more pain while viewing the monitor,controlling for contraction amplitudes. Women viewingthe monitor used more attention andcontrol-predictability strategies than when not viewing,particularly if they had a monitoring information-seeking style;when not viewing the monitor they used more distractionstrategies, particularly if they had a bluntinginformation-seeking style. Reported use ofattention,distraction, and control-predictabilitycoping strategies hadsignificant negative correlations with pain reports.Pain anxiety was positively, and self-efficacyexpectations negatively, related to pain reports.Theoretical and practical implications of these findingsare discussed.

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Authors
  1. Shoshana Shiloh
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  2. Uri Mahlev
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  3. Reuven Dar
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  4. Zion Ben-Rafael
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Shiloh, S., Mahlev, U., Dar, R. et al. Interactive Effects of Viewing a Contraction Monitor and Information-Seeking Style on Reported Childbirth Pain. Cognitive Therapy and Research 22, 501–516 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018777700691

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