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Abstract

An investigation was conducted to test the effect of cognitive
strategies and changes in facial expression in the control of
experimental cold-pressor pain.
Forty-four subjects were divided into four groups matched for
sex and age:
1. a cognitive strategy group, instructed to re-interpret pain
as cold;
2. a facial strategy group, instructed to 'hide' the facial
expression of pain;
3. a combined strategies group which carried out both strategies
simultaneously;
4. a no-treatment control group.
A number of factors known to correlate with pain were measured by
standardized tests to control for any initial differences in group
composition. Experimental measures consisted of a pain threshold
measure (immersion time), physiological correlates of pain (heart
rate, respiration rate, inspiration-expiration ratio) and Ss' pain
ratings on a modified version of the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ).
It was hypothesized that both the cognitive strategy and facial
strategy would have a significant effect in controlling pain and that
the combined strategies would prove the most effective of the
treatments.
Experimental results indicated that only the cognitive strategies
had a significant effect on immersion times as compared to controls. None of the experimental groups differed from controls
on MPQ ratings. There were no significant differences between
groups on the physiological response measures.
The results were discussed in terms of implications for the
hypotheses. The experimental method and the adequacy of the
measures used, especially the MPQ, were discussed. The implications
of the results for the control of clinical pain were elaborated.

Item Type:	Thesis - Coursework Master
Authors/Creators:	Fischer, Alexander John
Keywords:	Pain, Pain, Pain
Copyright Holders:	The Author
Copyright Information:	Copyright 1983 the Author - The University is continuing to endeavour to trace the copyright owner(s) and in the meantime this item has been reproduced here in good faith. We would be pleased to hear from the copyright owner(s).
Additional Information:	Thesis (M. Psych.)--University of Tasmania, 1983
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