Gender Role Expectations in Pain Perception

Gender Role Expectations in Pain Perception - GREPP

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Observational

Source

DRKS

Registry ID

DRKS00036367

Enrollment

Registered

2025-05-20

Start date

2025-06-02

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2026-04-27

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

The influence of gender role expectations on pain perception in experimental pain (heat pain stimulus).

Interventions

Group 1: Experimental Group 1 - Manipulation: Women have a lower pain sensitivity than men. (lower pain sensitivity - LPS) This group consists of healthy individuals who identify as women

the individuals are randomly assigned to the experimental conditions Group 2: Experimental Group 2 – Manipulation: Women have a higher pain sensitivity than men. (higher pain sensitivity - HPS) This

the individuals are randomly assigned to the experimental conditions Group 3: Control Group – Manipulation: Pain sensitivity is individualized. (control group - CG) This group consists of healthy indi

the individuals are randomly assigned to the experimental conditions

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

Female

Age

18 Years to No maximum

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: - sufficient level of the German language - healthy in self-report

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: - Open wounds - scars or dermatological diseases (e.g. inflammation, eczema, etc.) on the volar forearms - tattoos on the volar forearms - known aluminum allergy - current chronic pain - acute pain in the last 48 hours - taking a pain medication in the last 48 hours - taking a medication with a central nervous system effect in the last 48 hours - taking cannabis in the last 48 hours - taking alcohol in the last 48 hours - taking illegal drugs in the last 48 hours - pregnancy - diabetes mellitus - nerve disease (e.g. polyneuropathy, nerve injuries) - neurological disease (e.g. multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease) - high blood pressure - current mental illness

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
1. Change in pain threshold; measuring instruments: Thermode TSA2 & CoVAS; measurement time = directly at the start of the examination and immediately after the subsequent questionnaires and the presentation of the video vignette; 2. Change in pain tolerance; measuring instruments: Thermode TSA2 & CoVAS; measurement time = directly at the start of the examination and immediately after the subsequent questionnaires and the presentation of the video vignette; 3a. Change in pain intensity rating in a tonic head pain (Rating 0-100); measuring instruments: Thermode TSA2 & CoVAS; measurement time = directly at the start of the examination and immediately after the subsequent questionnaires and the presentation of the video vignette; 3b. Chance in pain unpleasantness ratings in a tonic head pain (Rating 0-100); measuring instruments: Thermode TSA2 & CoVAS; measurement time = directly at the start of the examination and immediately after the subsequent questionnaires and the presentation of the video vignette;	—

Measure

Time frame

1. Change in pain threshold; measuring instruments: Thermode TSA2 & CoVAS; measurement time = directly at the start of the examination and immediately after the subsequent questionnaires and the presentation of the video vignette; 2. Change in pain tolerance; measuring instruments: Thermode TSA2 & CoVAS; measurement time = directly at the start of the examination and immediately after the subsequent questionnaires and the presentation of the video vignette; 3a. Change in pain intensity rating in a tonic head pain (Rating 0-100); measuring instruments: Thermode TSA2 & CoVAS; measurement time = directly at the start of the examination and immediately after the subsequent questionnaires and the presentation of the video vignette; 3b. Chance in pain unpleasantness ratings in a tonic head pain (Rating 0-100); measuring instruments: Thermode TSA2 & CoVAS; measurement time = directly at the start of the examination and immediately after the subsequent questionnaires and the presentation of the video vignette;

—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Several secondary analyses are planned: - Assessment of differences in the primary endpoints between menstrual cycle phases - Assessment of pain-specific gender role expectations (Gender Role Expectation of Pain, Robinson et al., 2004); measurement time = immediately before the presentation of the video vignette; - Assessment of self-reported pain sensitivity (Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire, PSQ, Ruscheweyh et al., 2009); measurement time = immediately before the presentation of the video vignette; - Assessment of pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale, PCS, Meyer et al., 2008); measurement time = immediately before the presentation of the video vignette; - Assessment of pain-related anxiety (Pain Axiety Symptom Scale, PASS-D 20, Quint, 2007); measurement time = immediately before the presentation of the video vignette; - Assessment of depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9, Gräfe et al., 2004); measurement time = immediately before the presentation of the video vignette; - Assessment of anxiety symptoms (Gesundheitsfragebogen für Patienten, GAD-7, Löwe et al., 2007); measurement time = immediately before the presentation of the video vignette; - Assessment of current well-being (Mehrdimensionaler Befindlichkeitsfragebogen, MDBF); measurement time = immediately before the presentation of the video vignette;	—

Measure

Time frame

Several secondary analyses are planned: - Assessment of differences in the primary endpoints between menstrual cycle phases - Assessment of pain-specific gender role expectations (Gender Role Expectation of Pain, Robinson et al., 2004); measurement time = immediately before the presentation of the video vignette; - Assessment of self-reported pain sensitivity (Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire, PSQ, Ruscheweyh et al., 2009); measurement time = immediately before the presentation of the video vignette; - Assessment of pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale, PCS, Meyer et al., 2008); measurement time = immediately before the presentation of the video vignette; - Assessment of pain-related anxiety (Pain Axiety Symptom Scale, PASS-D 20, Quint, 2007); measurement time = immediately before the presentation of the video vignette; - Assessment of depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9, Gräfe et al., 2004); measurement time = immediately before the presentation of the video vignette; - Assessment of anxiety symptoms (Gesundheitsfragebogen für Patienten, GAD-7, Löwe et al., 2007); measurement time = immediately before the presentation of the video vignette; - Assessment of current well-being (Mehrdimensionaler Befindlichkeitsfragebogen, MDBF); measurement time = immediately before the presentation of the video vignette;

—

Countries

Germany

Contacts

Public ContactJenny Grütter

Universität Duisburg-Essen

jenny.gruetter@stud.uni-due.de+49 201 1835441

Outcome results

None listed

Source: DRKS (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: May 1, 2026