Pain Tolerance, Physiology, and Perfectionism: Difference Between Asians and non-Hispanic Whites (2009)

Undergraduates: Lauren Rowell, Ellen Ji, Michael Addamo Beth Mechlin

Faculty Advisor: Susan Girdler
Department: Psychology & Neuroscience

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Differences between Asians and Whites in pain sensitivity, and its relationship to blood pressure and psychosocial measures of stress (perceived stress, anxiety, perfectionism) were observed. Whites (15 male; 15 female) and Asians (15 male; 15 female) were tested for cold pain sensitivity (4°C) recording threshold, tolerance, intensity and unpleasantness. Percieved stress, perfectionism, parental criticism (PC), parental expectations (PE) and depression were assessed using self reported questionnaires. Blood pressure measurements during both a baseline (10 minutes) and 2 stress periods (preparartory period (5 minutes) and speech (5 minutes)) were assessed. In response to the cold pain test, Asians demonstrated both lower pain thresholds and tolerance compared to Whites (F(1,56 ) = 4.21, p < .05). Asians reported higher PE than Whites (F= (1,54) = 7.51 , p<.01 ) but there were no differences in total perfectionism. Lower pain tolerance was associated with higher levels of depression, perceived stress, and perfectionism (rs = -.036 to -0.43, ps < .05). Findings indicate ethnic differences in experimental pain; this study may have implications for the increased experience of clinical pain in Asians.