Parental Report of Self and Child Worry During Acute Pain

Abstract

Objectives: To determine which variables predict parental post-vaccination pain ratings. It was hypothesized that after child behaviour, parental sensitivity and parental reports of worry would be the strongest predictors. Methods: Data for 215 parent-child dyads were analyzed from a longitudinal cohort at the preschool (4-to-5 years of age) vaccination. Preschoolers' pain behaviours 15 seconds, 1 minute-15 seconds, and 2 minutes-15 seconds after the painful immunization were observed and rated. Parental sensitivity as well as parental own worry and their assessment of their child's worry were assessed before and after the needle. Three regression models were used to determine the impact of these variables on parental pain assessment. Results: Preschoolers' pain behaviours moderately accounted for variance in parental pain judgment (R 2 = .23 to .28). Parental sensitivity was not a significant unique predictor of parental pain rating at the preschool age. Parental assessment of their own worry and worry of their preschoolers after the needle were critical contributors to parental pain judgment. Post-hoc analyses suggest that parents who report low child worry, are more congruent with their child during regulatory phases post-needle. However, both parents with high and low self-worry had more congruent pain ratings with child pain behaviour scores during the reactivity phase. Discussion: The study suggests that the majority of variance in parent pain ratings was not predominantly based on preschoolers' pain behaviours. Parental worry levels and their assessment of their child's worry were also significant predictors. Clinical implications are discussed.

Out of the mouth of babes: a lot about pain has nothing to do with pain

“…Similar findings were reported with the OUCH Cohort's preschooler wave. Mamedova et al 34 found that most variance in parent pain ratings was not predominantly based on preschoolers' pain behaviors. Only 28% of parent pain judgements were based on preschooler's pain behaviour.…”