Background & Aims

Psychosocial aspects of the treatment process are receiving increasing attention in the medical community. Placebo hypoalgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia may result from observational learning (OBL), that is, observing changes in another person’s experience of pain. This phenomenon helps to understand how social interactions and observation of others’ experiences influence our pain sensations. A meta-analysis (1) indicated that OBL was more effective when the empathic concern of observers was higher. Previous studies focused on the involvement of trait empathy in placebo and nocebo effects in pain (and brought inconclusive results). It seems this is the first experimental study examining state empathy’s role in shaping placebo and nocebo effects in pain. This project primarily aims to answer whether manipulation of the observer’s state empathy level influences placebo hypoalgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia induced by OBL.

Methods

Participants were assigned to 4 experimental groups: placebo-OBL, nocebo-OBL, placebo-OBL with empathy induction, nocebo-OBL with empathy induction, and two control groups. Participants from placebo-OBL and placebo-OBL with empathy induction groups observed a model experiencing lower pain in placebo trials than in non-placebo trials. Participants from nocebo-OBL and nocebo-OBL with empathy induction groups observed a model experiencing higher pain in placebo trials than in non-placebo trials. Observational learning in placebo- and nocebo-OBL with empathy induction groups was preceded by the manipulation to increase participants’ empathy towards the observed person. In one control group, participants observed random responses to stimuli applied with- and without a placebo, and in the second control group, there was no observational learning. Then, all participants received pain stimuli at the same intensity applied with- and without a placebo to test the learning effects.

Results

In addition to pain ratings, pain expectations, state and trait empathy and physiological reactions were measured. The data are currently being analysed and results will be presented at the conference.

Conclusions

The data are currently being analysed and conclusions will be presented at the conference.

References

(1) Meeuwis, S. H., Wasylewski, M. T., Bajcar, E. A., Bieniek, H., Adamczyk, W. M., Honcharova, S., Di Nardo, M., Mazzoni, G., & B?bel, P. (2023). Learning pain from others: a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on placebo hypoalgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia induced by observational learning. Pain, 164(11), 2383–2396. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002943

Presenting Author

Amelia Jankowska

Poster Authors

Julia Badzinska

OTHR

Jagiellonian University

Lead Author

Joanna K?osowska (Phd)

Jagiellonian University, Institute of Psychology, Pain Research Group, Kraków, Poland

Lead Author

Daryna Rubanets

Doctoral School in the Social Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland

Lead Author

Magdalena ?egle?

PhD

Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland

Lead Author

Stefanie dr. Meeuwis

Health, Medical, and Neuropsychology unit at Leiden University’s Institute of Psychology

Lead Author

El?bieta A. Bajcar

PhD

Jagiellonian University

Lead Author

Przemys?aw B?bel

Prof.

Jagiellonian University, Institute of Psychology, Pain Research Group

Lead Author

Topics

  • Assessment and Diagnosis