Experimental pain sensitivity and reports of negative thoughts in adults with sickle cell disease

• Published in: Behavior therapy Vol. 26; no. 2; pp. 273 - 293
• Main Authors: Gil, Karen M., Phillips, George, Webster, Deborah A., Martin, Nancy J., Abrams, Mary, Grant, Merida, Clark, W. Crawford, Janal, Malvin N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Elsevier Ltd 1995; Academic Press
• Subjects: Medical research; Pain; Sickle cell anemia
• ISSN: 0005-7894; 1878-1888
• DOI: 10.1016/S0005-7894(05)80106-6

Studies have found that reports of negative thoughts are significant predictors of pain report, health care use, and psychosocial adjustment in adults with sickle cell disease (SCD); however, the mechanisms of the relationship are not clear. In this study, 58 adults with SCD completed an experimental pain induction task (finger pressure). Sensory decision analyses determined sensory discrimination (the ability to discriminate lower and higher intensities) and response bias (the tendency to readily report pain during noxious stimulation). Hierarchical regression analyses controlling for subject gender and acute disease status indicated that individuals who reported more negative thoughts had a greater tendency to report pain during noxious stimulation even to stimuli of relatively low intensity. Reports of negative thoughts were unrelated to sensory discrimination, suggesting that motivational and attitudinal factors, rather than sensory factors, were involved. Clinical implications for health care providers who treat patients with severe SCD pain are discussed.