The roles of race, sex and cognitions in response to experimental pain.

Background: This study reports a multivariate test of sex and race differences in experimental pain, and the degree to which these differences could be uniquely attributable to three levels of cognition: primary appraisals (threat, challenge), secondary appraisals (pain catastrophizing) and/or cognitive processes (mindful observing, non-reactivity). Both the predictive and mediator role of the cognitive variables was of interest.

Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional experimental design, with the cold pressor task employed as the pain stimulus.