Duschek Stefan, Nassauer Lena, Montoro Casandra I, Bair Angela, Montoya Pedro
UMIT - University of Health Sciences Medical Informatics and Technology, Eduard Wallnöfer-Zentrum 1, 6060 Hall in Tirol, Austria.
University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Illes Balears, Spain.
Scand J Pain. 2019 Dec 18;20(1):205-209. doi: 10.1515/sjpain-2019-0025.
Background and aims While social interactions like verbal support and physical touch have repeatedly been shown to reduce experimental pain, analgesic effects of passive social support, i.e. the sole physical presence of a supportive other, remain unclear. Moreover, little is known about individual factors influencing the extent of pain attenuation during social support. This study investigated analgesic effects of passive support by a romantic partner and the role of partner empathy therein. Methods In 48 heterosexual couples, sensitivity to pressure pain was assessed; each participant was tested alone and in the passive presence of his/her partner. Dispositional empathy was quantified by a questionnaire. Results In the presence, as compared to absence, of their partners men and women exhibited higher pain threshold and tolerance, as well as lower sensory and affective pain ratings on constant pressure stimuli. Partner empathy was positively associated with pain tolerance and inversely associated with sensory pain experience. Conclusions The results confirm the analgesic effects of social support, which may even occur without verbal or physical contact. Partner empathy may buffer affective distress during pain exposure, thereby reducing pain sensitivity and promoting pain coping. These processes may occur solely due to a partner's physical presence and do not necessarily require direct empathetic feedback.
背景与目的 尽管诸如言语支持和身体接触等社交互动已反复被证明可减轻实验性疼痛，但被动社交支持的镇痛效果，即仅仅是有支持性他人的身体在场，仍不明确。此外，关于影响社交支持期间疼痛减轻程度的个体因素知之甚少。本研究调查了浪漫伴侣的被动支持的镇痛效果及其共情在其中的作用。方法 在48对异性恋情侣中，评估对压痛的敏感性；每位参与者分别在单独状态下以及在其伴侣被动在场的情况下接受测试。通过问卷调查对特质共情进行量化。结果 与伴侣不在场相比，伴侣在场时男性和女性表现出更高的疼痛阈值和耐受性，以及在恒定压力刺激下更低的感觉性和情感性疼痛评分。伴侣共情与疼痛耐受性呈正相关，与感觉性疼痛体验呈负相关。结论 结果证实了社交支持的镇痛效果，这种效果甚至可能在没有言语或身体接触的情况下出现。伴侣共情可能在疼痛暴露期间缓冲情感痛苦，从而降低疼痛敏感性并促进疼痛应对。这些过程可能仅仅由于伴侣的身体在场而发生，不一定需要直接的共情反馈。
