An experimental investigation of the relationships among race, prayer, and pain

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:sec id="j_sjpain-2018-0040_s_999"> <jats:title id="d747282e64176">Background and aims</jats:title> <jats:p>Compared to White individuals, Black individuals demonstrate a lower pain tolerance. Research suggests that differences in pain coping strategies, such as prayer, may mediate this race difference. However, previous research has been cross-sectional and has not determined whether prayer in and of itself or rather the passive nature of prayer is driving the effects on pain tolerance. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationships among race, prayer (both active and passive), and pain tolerance.</jats:p></jats:sec> <jats:sec id="j_sjpain-2018-0040_s_998"> <jats:title id="d747282e64184">Methods</jats:title> <jats:p>We randomly assigned 208 pain-free participants (47% Black, 53% White) to one of three groups: active prayer (“God, help me endure the pain”), passive prayer (“God, take the pain away”), or no prayer (“The sky is blue”). Participants first completed a series of questionnaires including the Duke University Religion Index, the Coping Strategies Questionnaire-Revised (CSQ-R), and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale. Participants were then instructed to repeat a specified prayer or distractor coping statement while undergoing a cold pressor task. Cold pain tolerance was measured by the number of seconds that had elapsed while the participant’s hand remained in the cold water bath (maximum 180 s).</jats:p></jats:sec> <jats:sec id="j_sjpain-2018-0040_s_997"> <jats:title id="d747282e64192">Results</jats:title> <jats:p>Results of independent samples t-tests indicated that Black participants scored higher on the CSQ-R prayer/hoping subscale. However, there were no race differences among other coping strategies, religiosity, or catastrophizing. Results of a 2 (Race: White vs. Black)×3 (Prayer: active vs. passive vs. no prayer) ANCOVA controlling for a general tendency to pray and catastrophizing in response to prayer indicated a main effect of prayer that approached significance (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic>=0.06). Pairwise comparisons indicated that those in the active prayer condition demonstrated greater pain tolerance than those in the passive (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic>=0.06) and no prayer (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic>=0.03) conditions. Those in the passive and no prayer distractor conditions did not significantly differ (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic>=0.70). There was also a trending main effect of race [<jats:italic>p</jats:italic>=0.08], with White participants demonstrating greater pain tolerance than Black participants.</jats:p></jats:sec> <jats:sec id="j_sjpain-2018-0040_s_996"> <jats:title id="d747282e64215">Conclusions</jats:title> <jats:p>Taken together, these results indicate that Black participants demonstrated a lower pain tolerance than White participants, and those in the active prayer condition demonstrated greater tolerance than those in the passive and no prayer conditions. Furthermore, Black participants in the passive prayer group demonstrated the lowest pain tolerance, while White participants in the active prayer group exhibited the greatest tolerance. Results of this study suggest that passive prayer, like other passive coping strategies, may be related to lower pain tolerance and thus poorer pain outcomes, perhaps especially for Black individuals. On the other hand, results suggest active prayer is associated with greater pain tolerance, especially for White individuals.</jats:p></jats:sec> <jats:sec id="j_sjpain-2018-0040_s_995"> <jats:title id="d747282e64224">Implications</jats:title> <jats:p>These results suggest that understanding the influence of prayer on pain may require differentiation between active versus passive prayer strategies. Like other active coping strategies for pain, active prayer may facilitate self-management of pain and thus enhance pain outcomes independent of race. Psychosocial interventions may help religiously-oriented individuals, regardless of race, cultivate a more active style of prayer to improve their quality of life.</jats:p></jats:sec>

Patterns and Correlates of Self‐Management Strategies for Osteoarthritis‐Related Pain Among Older Non‐Hispanic Black and Non‐Hispanic White Adults

“…This consideration is important because not only can the type, frequency, or combination thereof influence the analgesic effect, but also because conditions such as central sensitivity may impact the strategy’s efficacy/perceived efficacy. While the current sample was too small to investigate this relationship, prior studies observing in vivo coping using active and passive prayer and experimental pain sensitivity found that the active prayer group displayed higher cold pain tolerance than passive and no prayer groups (43). Similarly, in our study, in vivo passive coping was associated with SM use in NHBs, who typically use prayer at greater rates than NHWs (44).…”

Race Differences in Resilience Among Older Adults with Chronic Low Back Pain

“… 15 Pain catastrophizing, defined as a negative emotional and cognitive response to pain, has also been identified as a potential mechanism by which different racial groups respond to pain. 54 , 55 Further, NHBs more frequently endorse the use of hoping, praying, and diverting attention as primary coping strategies for pain, 56 , 57 effects which partially account for adverse pain outcomes among this group. 58 …”

“…Journal of Pain Research 2021:14 pain, 56,57 effects which partially account for adverse pain outcomes among this group. 58 Despite similar levels of gratitude and trait resilience across NHBs and NHWs, our results suggest that these resilience factors are differentially associated with painrelated outcomes across racial groups.…”

The relationship between religiosity/spirituality and quality of life among female Eritrean refugees living in Norwegian asylum centres

“…As physical quality of life is significantly correlated with illness and/or advanced age, this may be related to the participants in this study being predominantly young and physically fit. The benefits of religion on subjective health seem to be greatest for those suffering from physical health problems (Meints et al, 2018). Koenig (2001) and Seeman et al (2003) found physical benefits from religiosity, as it is associated with better lipid profiles, lower blood pressure, better immune function and decreased levels of cortisol.…”