The Role of Observer Gender and Attitudes Towards Emotional Expression in the Provision of Emotional and Instrumental Support for Peers with Pain

Abstract

Chronic pain is a health problem that impacts at least 10% of the world population. Social support has beneficial effects for those who have chronic pain. Social support can be emotional, where a supporter is present, validating, and assuring; or instrumental, where a supporter provides services to address an imbalance in needs. Despite the benefits of social support, relatively little attention has been given to willingness to provide support to people with pain during transition to adulthood. The current study explored gender differences and the role of attitudes towards emotional expression in young adults’ willingness to provide emotional and instrumental support to a virtual human peer with pain. Participants (N=234, mean age=20) viewed videos/vignettes of a male or female peer with pain and responded to questions about willingness to provide support and attitudes towards emotional expression. Female participants were more willing to provide support than male participants, F(1,218) = 27.37, p < 0.01, and participants were more willing to provide emotional support compared to instrumental support, F(1,218) = 6.72, p = 0.01. Attitudes towards emotional expression mediated the relationship between participant gender and emotional and instrumental support (total indirect effect = 0.05; 95% CI [.01-.12]; total indirect effect = 0.05; 95% CI [.01-.12]). There was not an interaction between participant and peer gender for emotional, P = 0.26, or instrumental, P = 0.47, support. The results suggest that women are more willing to provide emotional and instrumental support and that fewer negative attitudes about emotional expression help explain the relationship. The findings also suggest that the gender of the peer does not impact willingness to provide support.