Abstract
Engaged attention, including music listening, has shown mixed results when used as
a method for reducing pain. Applying the framework of constructivism, we extend the
concept of engagement beyond attention/distraction to include all cognitive and emotional/motivational
processes that may be recruited in order to construct an alternative experience to
pain and thus reduce pain. Using a music-listening task varying in task demand, we
collected stimulus-evoked potentials, pupil dilation, and skin conductance responses
to noxious electrocutaneous stimulations as indicators of central and peripheral arousal,
respectively. Trait anxiety (Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) and absorption
(Tellegen Absorption Scale) provided indicators of individual differences. One hundred
and fifty-three healthy, normal volunteers participated in a test session in which
they received 3 stimulus intensity levels while listening to background tones (No
Task) or performing a music-listening task. Linear slopes indicating net engagement
(change in stimulus arousal relative to task performance) decreased with increasing
task demand and stimulus level for stimulus-evoked potentials. Slopes for pupil dilation
response and skin conductance response varied with task demand, anxiety, and absorption,
with the largest engagement effect occurring for high anxiety/high absorption participants.
Music engagement reduces pain responses, but personality factors like anxiety and
absorption modulate the magnitude of effect.
Perspective
Engaging in music listening can reduce responses to pain, depending on the person:
people who are anxious and can become absorbed in activities easily may find music
listening especially effective for relieving pain. Clinicians should consider patients’
personality characteristics when recommending behavioral interventions like music
listening for pain relief.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 10, 2011
Accepted:
August 29,
2011
Received in revised form:
July 28,
2011
Received:
February 24,
2011
Footnotes
Funding for this study was provided by a grant from the National Institutes of Health/ National Cancer Institute (R01CA74249) awarded to co-author Chapman.
The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.
Identification
Copyright
© 2011 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
