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Anger Suppression Predicts Pain, Emotional, and Cardiovascular Responses to the Cold Pressor

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Manipulated anger suppression has been shown to heighten pain and anger responses to pain.

Purpose

We examined whether individual differences in self-reported anger suppression predicted pain, anger, and blood pressure responses to acute pain.

Methods

Healthy participants (N = 47) underwent an anger-provoking speech task followed by a cold pressor pain task. Participants reported their degree of suppression of thoughts and feelings related to the speech. Pain intensity ratings were obtained throughout the cold pressor. Self-reported anger, anxiety and positive emotion, as well as ratings of sensory, general distress, and anger-specific elements of pain were obtained following the cold pressor. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) were recorded throughout.

Results

Self-reported suppression predicted greater pain intensity ratings, perception of sensory and anger-specific elements of pain, and self-reported anger in response to the cold pressor. Associations between self-reported suppression and pain intensity and ratings of anger-specific elements of pain were statistically mediated by pain-induced changes in self-reported anger, whereas the effect of suppression on sensory pain ratings was not. Self-reported suppression was also correlated inversely with SBP responses to the cold pressor.

Conclusions

Consistent with an ironic process model and prior studies involving experimental manipulation of suppression, self-reported suppression of anger predicted greater pain intensity and perception of the anger-specific element of pain. Findings also suggest that suppression might attenuate homeostatic pressor responses to acute pain.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported in part by a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award NS051200 from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke awarded to Phillip J. Quartana and Grant MH071260 from the National Institute of Mental Health awarded to John W. Burns.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA

    Phillip J. Quartana Ph.D. & Sara Bounds B.A.

  2. University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA

    K. Lira Yoon Ph.D.

  3. West Haven Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center, West Haven, CT, USA

    Burel R. Goodin M.S.

  4. Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA

    John W. Burns Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Phillip J. Quartana Ph.D.
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  2. Sara Bounds B.A.
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  3. K. Lira Yoon Ph.D.
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  4. Burel R. Goodin M.S.
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  5. John W. Burns Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Phillip J. Quartana Ph.D..

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Quartana, P.J., Bounds, S., Yoon, K.L. et al. Anger Suppression Predicts Pain, Emotional, and Cardiovascular Responses to the Cold Pressor. ann. behav. med. 39, 211–221 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-010-9182-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-010-9182-8

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