Effect of Perceived Pain Unpleasantness on Alcohol Drinking Behavior in a Virtual Bar

Abstract

The assessment of alcohol consumption during a given drinking bout, known as drinking topography, can improve understanding of biopsychosocial mechanisms underlying alcohol consumption, such as acute and chronic pain. Recent studies explored the capability of a virtual reality (VR) paradigm integrating drinking topography data collection with a VR drinking environment, resulting in more precise data with greater environmental control than previously possible. In this pilot project, we assessed changes in alcohol consumption topography of participants (n=19) in a VR bar resulting from the application of thermal stimulus to their right lower leg across two 15-minute testing sessions. In one, the thermal stimulus was warm (38°C). In the other, the thermal stimulus was within the typical nociceptive range (44°C). Ratings of stimulus pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, and sensation of warmth were collected. Univariate analyses of variance were used to assess the influence of sex and participant pain and warmth ratings on change in participant sip intervals between testing conditions. Results indicated that men experienced significant decreases in sip interval in the painful heat condition (F(1,15)=6.118, p<.05, η2p=.290) and that average pain unpleasantness ratings were significantly associated with decreased sip interval across conditions for both men and women (F(1,15)=4.673, p<.05, η2p=.238). Similar effects of pain intensity and warmth trended towards, but did not achieve, significance (p=.108, p=.106, respectively). No interactions of sex and pain/warmth ratings were detected. Together, results suggest that men and women differ in their alcohol drinking behavior responses to acute pain and indicate that the perceived unpleasantness of pain may have a particular influence on alcohol drinking behavior.