An interventional study of Emotional intervention and Emotional intervention in Pain Thresholds, sponsored by Linnaeus University. Completed at 1 site in Sweden. Open to participants aged 19 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-12-30.
Sponsored by Linnaeus University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science
The purpose of this study is to investigate if different emotional states could influence mechanical pain thresholds and other pain - related variables such as pain tolerance, pain intensity and pain - related negative affect.
Participants will be randomized into 4 different groups watching different short video-clips (2.20 min), while at the same time experience short-lasting, experimentally induced pain. The negative emotions group will watch an uncomfortable short video containing violence and blood, the positive emotions group will watch a video containing a stand-up comedy show, the neutral emotions group will watch a video about how to paint a house, and the control group will just wait for 2.20 min, without any instructions about what to think about. Pressure pain thresholds will be measured with an algometer before and after the video-clip combined with experimental pain interventions.
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This study's enrollment of 180 is above the median of 70 across 1,904 interventional studies indexed under Pain.
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Exclusion Criteria:
The intervention includes either a negatively emotionally valenced video, a positively emotionally valenced video, a neutrally emotionally valenced video and experimental pain from the cold pressor test that are simultaneosly applied.
Other: Emotional intervention
The participant will watch a short video-clip with negative emotional content while simultaneously experience experimentally induced pain.
The participant will watch a short video-clip with positive emotional content while simultaneously experience experimentally induced pain.
The participant will watch a short video-clip with neutral emotional content while simultaneously experience experimentally induced pain.
The participant will wait for 2.20 minutes while simultaneously experience experimentally induced pain.
Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs)
Pressure pain thresholds will be measured i kPa with a handheld algometer (Somedic AB).
Time frame: For each participant, baseline PPTs are measured, intervention follows and intervention PPTs are measured. This will be conducted at one appointment (30 min) for each participant. Recruitment for single appointments will take place for 18 months.
Pain tolerance (time in seconds the left hand is immersed in cold water 1 degree C).
The measure pain tolerance equals the time the time the participant keeps their left hand immersed in cold water (1 degree C), before they decide to withdraw their hand. This will be measured in seconds. For each participant, the maximum time to keep the hand immersed in water is 300 seconds.
Time frame: At a single session (30 min), the participant will keep their hand immersed in cold water for as long as possible while watching a video. This time will be measured in seconds. Participants are successively recruited for single appointmentsfor 18 months.
Pain intensity on the NRS
Participants will rate their perceived pain intensity on the NRS (Numerical Rating Scale) after the intervention (film-clip combined with pain induction using the cold pressor apparatus with cold water 1 degree C. This will take place on a single session appointment for each participant. Participants will be successively recruited for single session appointments for 18 months.
Time frame: The pain intensity will be estimated at every single session appointment (30 min) after the intervention on the NRS (Numerical Rating Scale). The participants will be successively recruited for single session appointments for 18 months.
Pain-related negative affect on the NRS-A
Perceived pain-related negative affect will be estimated on the NRS-A (Numerical Rating Scale- Anxiety) after the intervention (film-clip combined with pain induction with the cold pressor apparatus with cold water 1 degree C).The pain intensity will be estimated at every single session appointment (30 min) after the intervention on the NRS (Numerical Rating Scale). The participants will be successively recruited for single session appointments for 18 months.
Time frame: Negative affect will be estimated at every single test session (30 min) on the NRS-A (Numerical Rating Scale-Anxiety) directly after the intervention. The participants will be successively recruited for single session appointments during 18 months.
Plan to share: Undecided
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This study is completed, as verified in Feb 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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