| Vigil, Rowell and Lutz2020 Vigil JM, Rowell LN, Lutz C. Gender expression, sexual orientation and pain sensitivity in women. Pain Res Manag. 2014;19(2):87-92.
|
Prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial |
172 (W)
Heterosexual, lesbian and bisexual |
Masculinity/Femininity self-identification |
VAS |
Ischemic |
Among heterosexual women, attraction to more feminine romantic partners was associated with lower pain scores. In the group of lesbians and bisexuals with greater masculinity, higher pain and tolerance thresholds were observed. |
| Alabas, Tashani and Johnson2121 Alabas OA, Tashani OA, Johnson MI. Effects of ethnicity and gender role expectations of pain on experimental pain: a cross-cultural study. Eur J Pain. 2013;17(5):776-86.
|
Prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial |
175
124 Libyans (62/62)
51 British (25/26) |
GREP |
VAS |
Pressure/ischemic |
Males had lower scores for pain sensitivity and lower propensity to report pain, as well as higher pain tolerance. |
| Alabas, Tashani and Johnson2222 Alabas OA, Tashani OA, Johnson MI. Gender role expectations of pain mediate sex differences in cold pain responses in healthy Libyans. Eur J Pain. 2012;16(2):300-11.
|
Prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial |
114 (56/58) |
GREP |
VAS |
Thermal (cold) |
Despite cultural differences, they did not influence responses to pain. Libyan (African) women were more likely to report pain, more sensitive and less tolerant. Libyan men showed greater tolerance and thresholds for cold pain. |
| Defrin, Eli and Pud2323 Defrin R, Eli I, Pud D. Interactions among sex, ethnicity, religion, and gender role expectations of pain. Gend Med. 2011;8(3):172-83.
|
Retrospective, nonrandomized clinical trial |
548 (210/338)
341 Jews
105 Arab Muslims
102 Arab-Christians |
GREP |
VAS |
- |
Regardless of the religious ethnic group, the "typical" man considered woman to be more sensitive to pain. Men considered themselves less likely to report pain. |
| Fowler et al.2424 Fowler SL, Rasinski HM, Geers AL, Helfer SG, France CR. Concept priming and pain: an experimental approach to understanding gender roles in sex-related pain differences. J Behav Med. 2011;34(2):139-47.
|
Prospective, randomized clinical trial |
89 (45/44) |
BSRI/PAQ |
Short-Form of the McGill Pain Questionnaire |
Thermal (cold) |
Sex and gender roles interacted in such a way that men reported lower pain sensitivity and less anxiety, but only when prepared with a female gender role. |
| Defrin, Shramm and Eli2525 Defrin R, Shramm L, Eli I. Gender role expectations of pain is associated with pain tolerance limit but not with pain threshold. Pain. 2009;145(1-2):230-6.
|
Prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial |
72 (33/39) |
GREP |
HPT/ HPTL |
Thermal (heat) |
Individuals with greater masculinity had greater pain tolerance and less need to report pain. |
| Reidy et al.2626 Reidy DE, Dimmick K, MacDonald K, Zeichner A. The relationship between pain tolerance and trait aggression: effects of sex and gender role. Aggress Behav. 2009;35(5):422-9.
|
Prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial |
195 (65/130) |
Hypermasculinity Index |
|
Electric |
Pain tolerance was significantly and positively related to traits of aggression in men, unlike women. |
| Myers et al.2727 Myers CD, Tsao JC, Glover DA, Kim SC, Turk N, Zeltzer LK. Sex, gender, and age: contributions to laboratory pain responding in children and adolescents. J Pain. 2006;7(8):556-64.
|
Prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial |
240 (120/120) |
Child Sex Role Inventory |
VAS |
Pressure/ t h e r m a l (cold/heat) |
For boys, but not among girls, there was a significant negative correlation between masculinity and pain scores; as the masculinity score increased, pain self-reports decreased. |
| Robinson et al.2828 Robinson ME, Wise EA, Gagnon C, Fillingim RB, Price DD. Influences of gender role and anxiety on sex differences in temporal summation of pain. J Pain. 2004;5(2):77-82.
|
Prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial |
67 (37/30) |
GREP |
VAS |
Thermal (heat) |
The propensity to report pain was a significant predictor of the magnitude of temporal summation, regardless of sex. Women showed greater temporal summation to thermal stimuli. |
| Wise et al.2929 Wise EA, Price DD, Myers CD, Heft MW, Robinson ME. Gender role expectations of pain: relationship to experimental pain perception. Pain. 2002;96(3):335-42.
|
Prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial |
148 (61/87) |
GREP |
VAS |
Thermal (heat) |
Expectations related to male gender were predictors of higher pain thresholds and pain tolerance, regardless of gender. |
| Myers et al.3030 Myers CD, Robinson ME, Riley JL 3rd, Sheffield D. Sex, gender, and blood pressure: contributions to experimental pain report. Psychosom Med. 2001;63(4):545-50.
|
Prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial |
104 (54/50) |
BSRI |
Tolerance time in seconds |
Thermal (cold) |
Although the gender role was a predictor of pain tolerance, it was not a predictor of pain differences between the sexes. |
