Title Emotional Intelligence and Acute Pain: The Mediating Effect of Negative Affect
Authors RUIZ ARANDA, DESIREE, Salguero, Jose M. , Fernandez-Berrocal, Pablo
External publication Si
Means JOURNAL OF PAIN
Scope Article
Nature Científica
JCR Quartile 1
SJR Quartile 1
JCR Impact 4.926
SJR Impact 2.011
Publication date 01/11/2011
ISI 000297379800009
DOI 10.1016/j.jpain.2011.06.008
Abstract Emotional abilities are predictive variables of lower perceived pain. However, no studies have been published investigating the relationship between emotional intelligence (El), which refers to the ability to accurately perceive, appraise, understand, communicate and regulate emotions, and pain. The objective of the present study was to analyze the influence of El, measured using the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), on the level of sensory and affective pain generated by an experimental cold pressor task (CPT). In addition, we examined the influence of negative affect, as measured through the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), on the relationship between El and pain. Healthy college students (N = 67) completed measures of El before the CPT, during which they submerged their nondominant hand into ice water, and they completed measures of negative emotional state before and after the CPT. Participants with higher El rated pain as less intense and perceived it as less unpleasant. Greater emotional intelligence predicted less pain in this experimental paradigm, and the effects seemed to be mediated by the lower NA reactivity associated with greater El.\n Perspective: Emotional intelligence is an important element in the processing of emotional information during an experience of acute pain since it reduces the level of negative affect generated by the experimental task. (C) 2011 by the American Pain Society
Keywords Emotional intelligence; negative affect; pain; experimental; cold pressor
Universidad Loyola members

Change your preferences Manage cookies