Evaluation of a Cognitive-behavioral Pain Management Program for Children with Chronic Abdominal Pain: a Randomized Controlled Study

Overview

Journal Int J Behav Med

Publisher Informa Healthcare

Date 2012 Feb 14

PMID 22328460

Citations 25

Authors

Martina Gross

Petra Warschburger

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Chronic abdominal pain (CAP) in childhood is widely prevalent and has adverse effects on mental health and quality of life. Earlier research emphasized the positive effects of psychological intervention on pain symptoms. This study describes the results of a cognitive-behavioral pain management program for children with CAP. The newly developed cognitive-behavioral group program, "Stop the pain with Happy-Pingu," includes six sessions for the children and one meeting for the parents.

Purpose: We hypothesized that the training would significantly reduce pain symptoms (frequency, duration, intensity, and pain-related impairment) and increase health-related quality of life compared to wait-list controls, with improvement seen both at the end of treatment and at a 3-month follow-up.

Method: In all, 29 children were randomized into two groups: 15 in the intervention group (IG) and 14 as the wait-list controls (WLC). An intent-to-treat analysis was performed using two-factorial multivariate analyses of variance with repeated measures.

Results: Children in the IG experienced both a reduction in pain (primary outcome) and an improvement in health-related quality of life (secondary outcome) as compared to the WLC. The effect sizes ranged from medium to high.

Conclusion: Cognitive-behavioral methods seem to be appropriate for treating children with CAP.

Citing Articles

Effect of cognitive-behavior therapy for children with functional abdominal pain: a meta-analysis.

Huang X, Jia N, Zhang Y, Hao Y, Xiao F, Sun C BMC Gastroenterol. 2024; 24(1):62.

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"A source of empowerment and well-being": Experiences of a dance and yoga intervention for young girls with functional abdominal pain disorders.

Hogstrom S, Eriksson M, Morelius E, Duberg A Front Pediatr. 2023; 11:1040713.

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Non-pharmacological management of pediatric functional abdominal pain disorders: Current evidence and future perspectives.

Santos M, da Silva Junior R, de Brito B, da Silva F, Marques H, Lima de Souza Goncalves V World J Clin Pediatr. 2022; 11(2):105-119.

PMID: 35433299 PMC: 8985495. DOI: 10.5409/wjcp.v11.i2.105.

Psychosocial Interventions for the Treatment of Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Gordon M, Sinopoulou V, Tabbers M, Rexwinkel R, de Bruijn C, Dovey T JAMA Pediatr. 2022; 176(6):560-568.

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Functional abdominal pain in adolescents: case-based management.

Yacob D, Kroon Van Diest A, Di Lorenzo C Frontline Gastroenterol. 2021; 12(7):629-635.

PMID: 34917320 PMC: 8640410. DOI: 10.1136/flgastro-2020-101572.

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