Racial Discrimination, Pain, and the Buffering Influences of Acknowledgment

George Washington University (GW)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Pain, Acute

Treatments: Other: Bystander Acknowledgment

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06113926

224125

Details and patient eligibility

About

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).

Enrollment: 92 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 30 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

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

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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92 participants in 3 patient groups

Exclusion by White "Players"

No Intervention group

Description:

Excluded by White "players" in an online ball-tossing game (Cyberball).

Inclusion by White "Players"

No Intervention group

Description:

Included by White "players" in an online ball-tossing game (Cyberball).

Exclusion by White "Players" with Bystander Acknowledgment

Experimental group

Description:

Excluded by White "players" in an online ball-tossing game (Cyberball) with a White bystander acknowledging the exclusion.

Treatment:

Other: Bystander Acknowledgment