The validity of experimental pain measures

Abstract

Human subjects (40) served in a study investigating the characteristics of experimental pain measures. Subjects indicated when their pain threshold and tolerance levels had been reached with each of 3 stressors: cold, pressure and electrical shock. Using the multitrait-multimethod matrix procedure, the measures of threshold and tolerance showed both generality and discriminant validity across stressors. Threshold judgements, which emphasize discrimination of nociceptive quality, and tolerance decisions, which indicate an unwillingness to receive more intense stimuli, are not equivalent measures of responsiveness. Both should be obtained in studies involving experimental pain. Stressors, while related, are not equivalent. Minimum method variance was associated with the discomfort produced by electrical pulse trains.