title: Psychosocial mediators of sex differences in pain responsivity.
abstract: The objective of this study was to examine gender role and primary pain appraisal as mediators of the relation between sex and pain responsivity in experimental pain. A sample of 145 introductory psychology students participated in a cold pressor task and completed inventories that assessed pain appraisal and gender role. Results showed that threat appraisals of pain and positive feminine gender role, in combination, mediate the relation between sex and experimental pain responsivity, suggesting that psychosocial variables play an important role in this relation. However, the influences of gender role and threat appraisal were relatively independent, suggesting that psychosocial mediators of the sex/pain relation are complex.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, 35487, USA.
authors: Stacy D
authors: SD
authors: Sanford
authors: Brian C
authors: BC
authors: Kersh
authors: Beverly E
authors: BE
authors: Thorn
authors: Martha Anne
authors: MA
authors: Rich
authors: L Charles
authors: LC
authors: Ward