Background & Aims
Body image and pain have been studied extensively in recent years. Changes in body image are associated with chronic pain, but it is unclear what factors contribute to changes in body image. (Sunderman et al., 2020, Longo 2022). The aim of this study was to test whether words can affect the body image and pain sensitivity.
It is hypothesized that acute pain itself, will induce changes in the body image and will mimic the alterations observed in clinical populations.
Methods
This experiment was designed as a between – and within–subjects’ comparison. Participants were tested regarding their body image and pain and tactile sensitivity twice: before the posture examination (pre-test), and after (post-test). The study was conducted on a group of 78 healthy volunteers who were randomly allocated to one of two groups. The groups received either a nocebo, or no verbal suggestion. Depending on the group allocation, participants were either informed that their back was lopsided (nocebo group) or received no feedback in the control group.
The study protocol was pre-registered prior to data collection: https://osf.io/dt9av.
Results
Body image assessed via Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire, revealed significant difference in body image alteration in the NOCEBO group F(1,76)=12,656, p<0,001. Post-hoc analysis confirmed observed differences between the NOCEBO group and control group.
Pain threshold did not differ significantly between groups F(1,76)=0,232, p=0,63. Pain tolerance did not differ significantly between groups F(1,76)=0,808, p=0,37).
Individual compliance was positively correlated with body image distortion (r=0,38, p=0,016) in the nocebo group. The relationship between pain sensitivity and body image did not reach significance threshold.
Conclusions
The perceptual dimension of body image, assessed by the Fremantle Questionnaire, is distorted after the verbal suggestion, but pain threshold and pain tolerance remain intact. Individual compliance is associated with a more distorted body image elicited by the nocebo suggestion.
References
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- Bajcar, E. A., Wiercioch-Kuzianik, K., Adamczyk, W. M., & Bąbel, P. (2020). To Experience or to Be Informed? Classical Conditioning Induces Nocebo Hyperalgesia even when Placebo Analgesia Is Verbally Suggested—Results of a Preliminary Study. Pain Medicine, 21(3)
- Benedetti, F., Lanotte, M., Lopiano, L., & Colloca, L. (2007). When words are painful: Unraveling the mechanisms of the nocebo effect. Neuroscience, 147(2)
- Osumi, M., Imai, R., Ueta, K., Nobusako, S., & Morioka, S. (2014). Negative Body Image Associated with Changes in the Visual Body Appearance Increases Pain Perception. PLOS ONE, 9(9)
- Peerdeman, K. J., van Laarhoven, A. I. M., Donders, A. R. T., Hopman, M. T. E., Peters, M. L., & Evers, A. W. M. (2015). Inducing Expectations for Health: Effects of Verbal Suggestion and Imagery on Pain, Itch, and Fatigue as Indicators of Physical Sensitivity. PloS One, 10(10)
- Tanaka, T., Hayashida, K., & Morioka, S. (2022). Verbal Suggestion Modulates the Sense of Ownership and Heat Pain Threshold During the “Injured” Rubber Hand Illusion. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 16
Presenting Author
Aleksandra Budzisz
Poster Authors
Aleksandra Budzisz
PhD
Jagiellonian University
Lead Author
Waclaw M. Adamczyk
PhD
The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland
Lead Author
Przemyslaw Babel
Prof.
Jagiellonian University, Institute of Psychology, Pain Research Group
Lead Author
Kerstin Luedtke
University of Luebeck
Lead Author
Topics
- Placebo