Effects of thwarted interpersonal needs and alcohol consumption on physical pain tolerance

Abstract

We investigated the effects of thwarted interpersonal needs and acute alcohol consumption on physical pain tolerance using data from 67 undergraduate students who drank alcohol at a level not classified as alcohol dependence. We assessed their physical pain tolerance and speed of action to inflict pain on themselves with the proactive paradigm (PAP), and their physical pain tolerance to externally inflicted pain with the reactive paradigm (RAP). We found that acute alcohol consumption had a main effect on the PAP for speed of action to inflict pain. Our results also showed that thwarted interpersonal needs and acute alcohol consumption had an interaction effect on the RAP but not on PAP pain tolerance. The combination of thwarted interpersonal needs and acute alcohol consumption increased pain tolerance and alcohol induced participants' behavioral impulsivity, potentially leading them to enact self-aggressive behavior by increasing their ability to inflict harm on themselves and facilitating acting out behavior.