Perception, Drug Preference, and Pain Tolerance in Drug Users. Executive Summary

摘要

The objective of the research was to develop an understanding of the experience of pain for drug abusers. It was posited that their perceptual style predicts their pain experience as well as their drug of choice. Utilizing a descriptive survey design, relationships among perceptual style, drug preference and pain perception were explored. Perceptual style in a convenience sample of 122 male substance abusers was described using Vando's (1969) Reducing Augmenting Scale and electrodermal response. Pain perception was determined by tolerance to a cold pressor trial. Descriptive analyses revealed high rates of electrodermal non-responsivity and cold-pressor pain intolerance. Reducing-Augmenting Scale score correlated to drug preference for the electrodermally responsive subsample only and not at all to pain perception. Electrodermal responsivity did not correlate to drug preference or pain perception. Drug preference related to subject histories of anxiety and drug treatment, and both pain perception and drug preference were associated with current drug-using status.