Racial Discrimination, Pain, and the Buffering Influences of Acknowledgment

Pain, Acute Clinical Trial

Official title:

Racial Discrimination, Pain, and the Buffering Influences of Acknowledgment

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT06113926
• Other study ID #: 224125
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: September 1, 2022
• Est. completion date: January 31, 2023

Study information

• Verified date: October 2023
• Source: George Washington University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Black young adults (aged 18-30; N = 92) were racially included (i.e., received the ball an equal number of times) or excluded (i.e., received the ball only once) by other White players in a ball-tossing computer game called Cyberball; White experimenters acknowledged the exclusion for half of the excluded participants. Participants completed a cold-pressor task twice to measure pain sensitivity (threshold, tolerance, and unpleasantness): immediately prior, and after the Cyberball (and acknowledgment) manipulation. Participants also completed a post-manipulation survey examining the psychological effects of racial exclusion and acknowledgment (i.e., psychological needs satisfaction, negative affect, control).

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 92
• Est. completion date: January 31, 2023
• Est. primary completion date: January 31, 2023
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 30 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants identify as Black/African American

• Age 18-30

Exclusion Criteria:

• Past 30-day persistent pain

• Cardiovascular or circulatory disorders

• Diabetes

• Current pregnancy

• Open sores/frostbite on nondominant hand

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Acute Pain
• Pain, Acute

Intervention

Other:
• Bystander Acknowledgment
The experimenter said "That is so messed up that they excluded you in the task. And honestly, I would say it was racist…" acknowledgment of the participants experience, "…this shouldn't have happened, and I'm really sorry it did…" an apology, and "…I'm going to talk to the primary investigators of the study to figure out how we can make sure that this won't happen to other people" a plan of action.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	The George Washington University	Washington	District of Columbia

Sponsors (4)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
George Washington University	D.C. Psychological Association, Psi Chi, Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Pain Threshold measured with a cold pressor task	Time (in seconds) from the participant places their hand in cold water, to telling the experimenter they are experiencing pain.	Measured immediately after the manipulation (within minutes).
Primary	Pain Tolerance	Time (in seconds) from the participant places their hand in cold water, to when they remove their hand from the water.	Measured immediately after the manipulation (within minutes).
Primary	Pain unpleasantness	Measured with a the McGill-Pain Questionnaire Short Form, the degree of unpleasantness the participant reports from the pain.	Measured immediately after the manipulation (within minutes).
Secondary	Psychological Needs Satisfaction; Self Control subscale	Needs-Satisfaction Scale (Zadro et al., 2004)	Measured immediately after the manipulation (within minutes).
Secondary	Psychological Needs Satisfaction; Belongingness subscale	Needs-Satisfaction Scale (Zadro et al., 2004)	Measured immediately after the manipulation (within minutes).
Secondary	Psychological Needs Satisfaction; Meaningful Existence subscale	Needs-Satisfaction Scale (Zadro et al., 2004)	Measured immediately after the manipulation (within minutes).
Secondary	Psychological Needs Satisfaction; Self esteem subscale	Needs-Satisfaction Scale (Zadro et al., 2004)	Measured immediately after the manipulation (within minutes).

External Links

•   OSF Preregistration