Hand-holding reduces the long-term painfulness of social memories

Hand-holding is a powerful form of social support that has been shown to alleviate physical pain. However, the effect of hand-holding on the ability to alleviate social pain has been less well explored. The current research examined whether holding a romantic partner's hand while revisiting socially painful memories could reduce the immediate experience of pain and whether this brief intervention provided long-term relief. Participants (n = 50) in long-term, monogamous relationships recalled socially painful memories while holding their partner's hand or a squeeze ball. Throughout the study, participants rated their level of pain. Although hand-holding did not reduce pain immediately, memories paired with hand-holding (vs. squeeze ball) were later recalled as significantly less painful 1 week later, relative to preintervention levels. Hand-holding does not decrease the immediate experience of social pain but may instead leverage adaptive memory updating of emotional experiences over time. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).