title: Pain tolerance, pain sensitivity, and accessibility of aggression-related schemata in parents at-risk for child physical abuse.
abstract: This study examined whether parents with varying degrees of child physical abuse (CPA) risk differed in pain tolerance, pain sensitivity, and accessibility of aggression-related schemata. Participants included 91 (51 low CPA risk and 40 high CPA risk) general population parents. Participants were randomly assigned to complete either an easy or a difficult anagram task. Pain tolerance and pain sensitivity were assessed using a cold pressor task. Accessibility of aggression-related schemata was assessed at the outset of the data collection session and at the end of the session using a word completion task. Parents' self-reported negative affect was assessed three times over the course of the study: baseline, after the anagram task, and after the cold pressor task. As expected, high-risk (compared to low-risk) parents reported higher levels of negative affect at each time point. Moreover, after completing the difficult anagram task, high-risk (compared to low-risk) parents exhibited higher pain sensitivity during the cold pressor task. Following completion of the cold pressor task, high-risk (compared to low-risk) parents exhibited greater accessibility of aggression-related schemata. Collectively, these findings indicate that under certain conditions, high-risk parents experience a confluence of aggression-related risk factors (i.e., negative affect, pain sensitivity, and aggression-related information processes) that may predispose them to aggressive behavior.
authors: Center for the Study of Family Violence and Sexual Assault, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA.
authors: Regina
authors: R
authors: Hiraoka
authors: Center for the Study of Family Violence and Sexual Assault, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA.
authors: Julie L
authors: JL
authors: Crouch
authors: Center for the Study of Family Violence and Sexual Assault, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA.
authors: Gim
authors: G
authors: Reo
authors: Center for the Study of Family Violence and Sexual Assault, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Wagner
authors: Center for the Study of Family Violence and Sexual Assault, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA.
authors: Joel S
authors: JS
authors: Milner
authors: Center for the Study of Family Violence and Sexual Assault, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA.
authors: John J
authors: JJ
authors: Skowronski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Child physical abuse; Information processing; Pain sensitivity; Pain tolerance