Advancing Research on the Social Dimensions of Pain: Emerging Evidence and Future Directions

This webinar will take place on Wednesday, 20 May 2026 at 7:00 a.m. EDT

Free to IASP Members; $25.00 for non-members

This 90-minute webinar, hosted by the Social Aspects of Pain SIG, will showcase cutting-edge research examining how social factors shape the experience, assessment, and management of pain. The session will feature brief (10-minute) presentations from early-, mid-, and senior-career scholars highlighting new empirical, theoretical, and review-based work (unpublished, under review, published within the past 6 months) related to social determinants and consequences, interpersonal processes, stigma, communication, and sociocultural influences on pain. Each presentation will be followed by a structured, open discussion led by an expert panel of lived experience experts, clinicians, and researchers. Presentations will be evaluated by the expert panel using predefined criteria (including scientific rigor, clarity of communication, implications for research, and relevance to clinical practice). Top-rated presenters will be recognized, and the highest-rated early-career scholar will receive a monetary award. This event is designed to stimulate interdisciplinary dialogue and promote the translation of social-related pain science into meaningful clinical, educational, and policy-relevant insights.

We also invite members of the SIG to participate in this session as presenters. Individuals interested in presenting their work aligned with the webinar theme should submit a 200-word abstract (including title, background/aims, methods or approach, key insights, and conclusions) to the SIG Co-Chairs Adam Hirsh (athirsh@iu.edu) and Joanna McParland (j.mcparland@gcu.ac.uk) by 31 March 2026. The SIG Executive Committee will review submissions for relevance to the session topic, and selected presenters will be notified by mid-April.