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Updated: Jul 12, 2026
14:56
An Experimental Paradigm for the Prediction of Post-Operative Pain (PPOP)
Published on: January 27, 2010
Dissociation and pain perception: an experimental investigation
Jonathan D Horowitz1, Michael J Telch
1Laboratory for Study of Anxiety Disorders, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-0187, USA.
Journal of Traumatic Stress
|August 28, 2007
Summary
Experimentally induced dissociation did not reduce pain perception. Instead, increased dissociation was unexpectedly linked to higher subjective pain and longer immersion times in a cold pressor test.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Pain Research
Background:
- Dissociative symptoms are linked to pain perception abnormalities across various disorders.
- Understanding the relationship between dissociation and pain is crucial for clinical interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if experimentally induced state dissociation can elicit an analgesic (pain-reducing) response.
- To explore the effects of dissociation on subjective pain and immersion during a cold pressor test.
Main Methods:
- 120 participants were randomized into a dissociation induction group (audiophotic stimulation) or a control group.
- Subjective pain and immersion time were measured before and after the cold pressor test.
- Exploratory analysis examined the relationship between specific dissociative experiences (absorption, derealization) and pain outcomes.
Main Results:
- Contrary to hypotheses, dissociation induction led to a small but significant increase in subjective pain.
- No significant difference in immersion time was observed between the dissociation and control groups.
- Increased absorption predicted increased subjective pain, while increased derealization predicted increased immersion time.
Conclusions:
- Experimentally induced dissociation does not appear to produce an analgesic effect.
- Specific facets of dissociation, such as absorption and derealization, may have differential impacts on pain perception and engagement with painful stimuli.
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