IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i13p7176-d588486.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Influence of Cognitive Orientation and Attentional Focus on Pain Perception

Author

Listed:
  • Pierluigi Diotaiuti

    (Department of Human Sciences, Society and Health, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, 03043 Cassino, Italy)

  • Stefano Corrado

    (Department of Human Sciences, Society and Health, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, 03043 Cassino, Italy)

  • Stefania Mancone

    (Department of Human Sciences, Society and Health, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, 03043 Cassino, Italy)

  • Lavinia Falese

    (Department of Human Sciences, Society and Health, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, 03043 Cassino, Italy)

  • Angelo Rodio

    (Department of Human Sciences, Society and Health, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, 03043 Cassino, Italy)

  • Thaìs Cristina Siqueira

    (Health and Sports Science Center, Department of Physical Education, CEFID, Santa Catarina State University, Florianópolis 88035-901, Brazil)

  • Alexandro Andrade

    (Health and Sports Science Center, Department of Physical Education, CEFID, Santa Catarina State University, Florianópolis 88035-901, Brazil)

Abstract

Background. Recently, a growing interest has emerged in the role of attention and hypervigilance in the experience of pain. Shifting attention away from pain seems likely to reduce the perception of pain itself. Objectives. The present study has been designed to test the following overall hypotheses: (1) disposition to catastrophize, self-efficacy perceived in pain resistance (task self-efficacy), previous experiences concerning the tolerance of physical pain, and degree of impulsiveness are significant predictors of the decision to abandon a painful test such as the cold pressor test (CPT); (2) the manipulation of the attentive focus (internal or external) can influence the level of perceived pain. Methods. Effects of the manipulation of attentional focus (internal and external) on pain perception and response of trial abandonment were evaluated in a sample of university students ( n = 246) subjected to the cold pressor test. Results. A significant effect ( p < 0.05) was found through a test–retest comparison on the final level of perceived pain among subjects who had received instruction to externalize the focus of their attention (mixed factorial analysis of variance), but no significance was observed with respect to the decision to abandon the experiment. A general explanatory model of the abandonment behavior demonstrating overall good fit measurements was tested too. Conclusion. The abandonment of tests has been shown to be predicted mainly by catastrophic attitude. Attentive impulsiveness showed a further positive effect on catastrophic attitude. Perceived self-efficacy in the tolerance of pain limited learned helplessness, which in turn positively influenced catastrophizing.

Suggested Citation

  • Pierluigi Diotaiuti & Stefano Corrado & Stefania Mancone & Lavinia Falese & Angelo Rodio & Thaìs Cristina Siqueira & Alexandro Andrade, 2021. "Influence of Cognitive Orientation and Attentional Focus on Pain Perception," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-13, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:13:p:7176-:d:588486
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/13/7176/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/13/7176/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Pierluigi Diotaiuti & Giuseppe Valente & Stefania Mancone & Stefano Corrado & Fernando Bellizzi & Lavinia Falese & Elisa Langiano & Guilherme Torres Vilarino & Alexandro Andrade, 2023. "Effects of Cognitive Appraisals on Perceived Self-Efficacy and Distress during the COVID-19 Lockdown: An Empirical Analysis Based on Structural Equation Modeling," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-16, March.
    2. Alexis Sossa Rojas, 2024. "Bodily Practices and Meanings Articulated in the Physical Exercise of Older Adults in Santiago de Chile Post-COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(5), pages 1-17, April.
    3. Pierluigi Diotaiuti & Stefania Mancone & Stefano Corrado, 2022. "Motivations and Personal Traits Can Predict Self-Efficacy of the Clown Therapist: A Descriptive Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-20, June.
    4. Pierluigi Diotaiuti & Stefano Corrado & Stefania Mancone & Marco Palombo & Angelo Rodio & Lavinia Falese & Elisa Langiano & Thaìs Cristina Siqueira & Alexandro Andrade, 2022. "Both Gender and Agonistic Experience Affect Perceived Pain during the Cold Pressor Test," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-11, February.
    5. Pierluigi Diotaiuti & Giuseppe Valente & Stefano Corrado & Stefania Mancone, 2023. "Assessing Decentering Capacity in Athletes: A Moderated Mediation Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-13, February.
    6. Pierluigi Diotaiuti & Giuseppe Valente & Stefania Mancone & Lavinia Falese & Stefano Corrado & Thais Cristina Siqueira & Alexandro Andrade, 2022. "A Psychoeducational Intervention in Prenatal Classes: Positive Effects on Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, and Temporal Focus in Birth Attendants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-20, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:13:p:7176-:d:588486. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.