Examination of Psychological and Physiological Pathways Linking Gratitude and Pain

NCT06317844 | Completed Results

• 2 other identifiers: BlackHillsHealthPsychP20GM103443
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 145
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effects of a brief gratitude intervention on individuals' psychological and physiological responses to acute pain. Furthermore, these associations will be examined in the context of genetic variations associated with both pain and psychological processes.

Conditions

Acute Pain; Positive Thinking; Emotions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Change in Subjective Pain Ratings From Baseline to 10-minutes Post Cold Pressor Test

  Self-reported measures of pain will be reported on a numeric scale of 0 (no pain) to 10 (strongest pain imaginable every 15 seconds throughout a cold pressor test and again 1 minute and 10 minutes post cold pressor test.

  Baseline to 10 minutes post cold pressor test

• Differences in Pain Tolerance to Cold Pressor Test

  Pain tolerance will be measured in terms of how many seconds individuals can keep their hand submerged in near-freezing water, for a maximum of up to 90 seconds (the task will be ended at that point).

  Up to 1.5 minutes of Cold Pressor Test

• Differences in Pain Onset to Cold Pressor Test

  Pain onset will be measured in seconds between participants submerging their hands into near-freezing water and the self-reported beginning of pain.

  Up to 1.5 minutes of Cold Pressor Test

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Differences in Pain-Related Cognition

  Immediately after the Cold Pressor Test

• Differences in Autonomic Nervous System Responsivity

  Baseline to 10 minutes post cold pressor test

Study Arms (2)

Gratitude Writing

EXPERIMENTAL

In the gratitude writing condition, participants will write continuously for 5 minutes about someone they are grateful for.

Behavioral: Behavioral Writing Intervention

Neutral Writing

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Participants in the neutral writing condition will write continuously for 5 minutes about how they got to the research laboratory.

Behavioral: Behavioral Writing Intervention

Interventions

Behavioral Writing Intervention BEHAVIORAL

This behavioral intervention will require participants to write about certain aspects of their lives.

Gratitude Writing; Neutral Writing

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• must be pain-free
• must be at least 18 years old

You may not qualify if:

• cardiovascular disease
• Raynaud's disease
• epilepsy
• being pregnant
• having a current injury to or open cut or sore on one's non-dominant hand
• history of fainting or seizures
• history of frostbite in non-dominant hand
• chronic pain conditions (e.g., fibromyalgia, neuropathy, arthritis)
• diabetes
• malignant tumor
• chronic lung disease
• liver disease
• kidney disease
• gastrointestinal diseases
• currently taking opioids

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Black Hills State University: lead
• National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Black Hills State University

Spearfish, South Dakota, 57799, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Acute Pain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Nathan Deichert
• Organization: Black Hills State University

nathan.deichert@bhsu.edu

6056426544

Study Officials

• Nathan Deichert, PhD

  Black Hills State University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: Yes

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 6, 2024
• First Posted: March 19, 2024
• Study Start: September 10, 2024
• Primary Completion: August 19, 2025
• Study Completion: August 19, 2025
• Last Updated: April 17, 2026
• Results First Posted: April 17, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)