Pain Beliefs and Quality of Life in Young People With Disabilities and Bothersome Pain

Abstract

Objectives Pain beliefs have been hypothesized to play an important role in pediatric pain. However, research examining the associations between pain-related beliefs and measures of function in youths with disabilities is limited. Methods Eighty-four youths (mean age = 14.26 years; SD = 3.27) with physical disabilities who indicated they also had bothersome pain were interviewed and asked to rate their average pain intensity in the past week, and to complete measures of pain-related beliefs and health-related quality of life. Results A number of pain beliefs were associated with different physical and psychosocial function domains, although different beliefs appeared to play different roles, depending on the function domain examined. Across all of the health-related quality of life domains studied, a belief that pain is influenced by one’s emotions was associated with lower levels of function. No differences were found in pain beliefs related to age. In addition, a small difference in pain beliefs was found for sex; specifically girls were more likely than boys to endorse the belief that pain is influenced by emotions. Discussion The findings provide new information regarding the role that pain beliefs have in predicting function, and have important clinical implications regarding how youth with physical disabilities and pain might be most effectively treated.

Development of the Conceptualization of Pain Questionnaire: A Measure to Study How Children Conceptualize Pain

“…There is mounting evidence to show that the reconceptualization of pain through education is central to the treatment of adults with chronic pain [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. In this respect, education strategies to explain pain to patients have proved to be able to change pain-related attitudes [ 23 , 26 ] and catastrophic thinking about pain [ 27 ], which in turn can help improve psychological and physical function [ 18 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. Pain education has been used in interventions designed to treat individuals with chronic pain [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 31 ] and is considered a concomitant measure for reducing post-surgery pain [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 32 , 33 ].…”

Development of the Survey of the Concept of Pain: A Measure to Study How Children Conceptualize Pain

“…There is mounting evidence to show that the reconceptualization of pain through education is central to the treatment of adults with chronic pain [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. In this respect, education strategies to explain pain to patients have proved to be able to change painrelated attitudes [23,26] and catastrophic thinking about pain [27], which in turn can help improve psychological and physical function [18,[27][28][29][30]. Pain education has been used in interventions designed to treat individuals with chronic pain [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]31] and is considered a concomitant measure for reducing post-surgery pain [15-17, 32, 33].…”

Deep brain stimulation reduces pain in children with dystonia, including in dyskinetic cerebral palsy

“…Unrecognized pain and unsatisfactory analgesia can result in reduced sleep, increased pharmacological interventions, low mood, and an inability to socialize. Pain can severely reduce quality of life 14 …”