British journal of health psychology
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Br J Health Psychol · Sep 2004
Clinical TrialInvestigation of the interactive effects of gender and psychological factors on pain response.
There is growing evidence to suggest that certain psychological modulators of pain sensitivity are dependent on gender. The aim of the present study was to examine further whether cognitive-affective factors (with specific focus on situational anxiety) shown to modulate pain report and behaviour have differential effects on men's and women's response to experimentally induced pain. ⋯ Results from the present study suggest that there are important differences in the way cognitive-affective factors impact on the pain response of men and women. Further research is needed to explore potential psychosocial and physiological mechanisms that may underlie such differences.