Compartir
Título
Pain and Distraction According to Sensory Modalities: Current Findings and Future Directions
Autor(es)
Materia
Pain
Attention
Distraction task
Sensory modality
Clasificación UNESCO
61 Psicología
Fecha de publicación
2019
Resumen
[EN]Background: This review discusses the findings in the liter ature on pain and distraction tasks according to their sensory
modality. Distraction tasks have been shown to reduce
(experimentally induced) acute pain and chronic pain. This
can be influenced by nature and by the sensory modalities
used in the distraction tasks. Yet the effect on reducing pain
according to the sensory modality of the distraction task has
received little attention.
Methods: A bibliographic search was performed in differ ent databases. The studies will be systematized according to
the sensory modality in which the distraction task was
applied.
Results: The analyzed studies with auditory distractors
showed a reduction of acute pain in adults. However, these
are not effective at healthy children and in adults with
chronic pain. Visual distractors showed promising results in
acute pain in adults and children. Similarly, tactile and mixed
distractors decreased acute pain in adults.
Conclusion: Distraction tasks by diverse sensory modalities
have a positive effect on decreasing the perception of acute
pain in adults. Future studies are necessary given the paucity
of research on this topic, particularly with tactile distractors
(there is only one study). Finally, the most rigorous method ology and the use of ecological contexts are encouraged in
future research.
URI
ISSN
1530-7085
DOI
10.1111/papr.12799
Colecciones