Associations of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Bullying on Physical Pain in the General Population of Germany

Overview

Journal J Pain Res

Publisher Dove Medical Press

Date 2018 Dec 26

PMID 30584352

Citations 20

Authors

Rebecca C Brown

Paul L Plener

Elmar Braehler

Joerg M Fegert

Markus Huber-Lang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Chronic pain is a frequent burden in the general population. Child maltreatment and bullying are risk factors for the development of chronic pain. Aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association of child maltreatment and bullying and pain experiences in a representative sample of the general population.

Materials And Methods: A total of N=2,491 people from the general population of Germany participated in the study (M=48.3 years [SD=18.2], 53.2 % female). Child maltreatment was assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), pain was rated with the Polytrauma Outcome (POLO)-physical state domain, depression scores were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire, and anxiety scores via the General Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire. Regression analyses were calculated to investigate the effect of bullying and child maltreatment, as well as depression, anxiety, and gender on pain experiences.

Results: A significant correlation between increasing pain levels and number of adverse childhood experiences was found. With regard to specific types of maltreatment, largest effect sizes were found for emotional abuse. Bullying was significantly, but overall rather moderately, related to pain suffering. In women, all forms of maltreatment were associated with pain, while in men only sexual and physical abuse revealed significant effects. Although depression and anxiety scores were significantly associated with the experience of current pain, they did not change the effect of child maltreatment on pain significantly.

Conclusion: In this sample of the general population, adverse childhood experiences were significantly associated with pain and showed cumulative effects, over and above depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Citing Articles

Inflammatory reactivity is unrelated to childhood adversity or provoked modulation of nociception.

Bedwell G, Mqadi L, Kamerman P, Hutchinson M, Parker R, Madden V medRxiv. 2025; .

PMID: 39763518 PMC: 11702747. DOI: 10.1101/2024.12.16.24319079.

Impact of adverse childhood experiences on analgesia-related outcomes: a systematic review.

Senaratne D, Koponen M, Barnett K, Smith B, Hales T, Marryat L Br J Anaesth. 2024; 134(2):461-491.

PMID: 39438213 PMC: 11775844. DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2024.09.015.

The effects of neighborhood disadvantage and adverse childhood experiences on conditioned pain modulation in adults with chronic low back pain.

Thomas P, Ditta P, Stocking S, Webb C, Meints S, Owens M J Pain. 2024; 26:104706.

PMID: 39424112 PMC: 11781974. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104706.

A preliminary examination of the effects of childhood abuse and resilience on pain and physical functioning in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Yoon J, Kim A, Wilson J, Yamin J, Schreiber K, Edwards R Scand J Pain. 2024; 24(1).

PMID: 38842279 PMC: 11245962. DOI: 10.1515/sjpain-2023-0122.

Hidden family rules: perspective on a dysfunctional paternalistic system and the persistence of pain.

Hudson M, Johnson M Front Pain Res (Lausanne). 2024; 4:1303853.

PMID: 38162891 PMC: 10755869. DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2023.1303853.

References

Arnow B, Hart S, Hayward C, Dea R, Taylor C . Severity of child maltreatment, pain complaints and medical utilization among women. J Psychiatr Res. 2001; 34(6):413-21. DOI: 10.1016/s0022-3956(00)00037-6. View

Pirente N, Bouillon B, Schafer B, Raum M, Helling H, Berger E . [Systematic development of a scale for determination of health-related quality of life in multiple trauma patients. The Polytrauma Outcome (POLO) Chart]. Unfallchirurg. 2002; 105(5):413-22. DOI: 10.1007/s00113-001-0348-5. View

Teicher M, Andersen S, Polcari A, Anderson C, Navalta C, Kim D . The neurobiological consequences of early stress and childhood maltreatment. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2003; 27(1-2):33-44. DOI: 10.1016/s0149-7634(03)00007-1. View

van der Wal M, de Wit C, Hirasing R . Psychosocial health among young victims and offenders of direct and indirect bullying. Pediatrics. 2003; 111(6 Pt 1):1312-7. DOI: 10.1542/peds.111.6.1312. View

Eisenberger N, Lieberman M, Williams K . Does rejection hurt? An FMRI study of social exclusion. Science. 2003; 302(5643):290-2. DOI: 10.1126/science.1089134. View

McWilliams L, Goodwin R, Cox B . Depression and anxiety associated with three pain conditions: results from a nationally representative sample. Pain. 2004; 111(1-2):77-83. DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2004.06.002. View

Lowe B, Kroenke K, Grafe K . Detecting and monitoring depression with a two-item questionnaire (PHQ-2). J Psychosom Res. 2005; 58(2):163-71. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2004.09.006. View

Brown J, Berenson K, Cohen P . Documented and self-reported child abuse and adult pain in a community sample. Clin J Pain. 2005; 21(5):374-7. DOI: 10.1097/01.ajp.0000149797.16370.dc. View

Davis D, Luecken L, Zautra A . Are reports of childhood abuse related to the experience of chronic pain in adulthood? A meta-analytic review of the literature. Clin J Pain. 2005; 21(5):398-405. DOI: 10.1097/01.ajp.0000149795.08746.31. View

10.

Breivik H, Collett B, Ventafridda V, Cohen R, Gallacher D . Survey of chronic pain in Europe: prevalence, impact on daily life, and treatment. Eur J Pain. 2005; 10(4):287-333. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpain.2005.06.009. View

11.

Kroenke K, Spitzer R, Williams J, Monahan P, Lowe B . Anxiety disorders in primary care: prevalence, impairment, comorbidity, and detection. Ann Intern Med. 2007; 146(5):317-25. DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-146-5-200703060-00004. View

12.

Sachs-Ericsson N, Kendall-Tackett K, Hernandez A . Childhood abuse, chronic pain, and depression in the National Comorbidity Survey. Child Abuse Negl. 2007; 31(5):531-47. DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2006.12.007. View

13.

Walsh C, Jamieson E, MacMillan H, Boyle M . Child abuse and chronic pain in a community survey of women. J Interpers Violence. 2007; 22(12):1536-54. DOI: 10.1177/0886260507306484. View

14.

Ringel Y, Drossman D, Leserman J, Suyenobu B, Wilber K, Lin W . Effect of abuse history on pain reports and brain responses to aversive visceral stimulation: an FMRI study. Gastroenterology. 2008; 134(2):396-404. DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2007.11.011. View

15.

Dube S, Fairweather D, Pearson W, Felitti V, Anda R, Croft J . Cumulative childhood stress and autoimmune diseases in adults. Psychosom Med. 2009; 71(2):243-50. PMC: 3318917. DOI: 10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181907888. View

16.

Sourander A, Ronning J, Brunstein-Klomek A, Gyllenberg D, Kumpulainen K, Niemela S . Childhood bullying behavior and later psychiatric hospital and psychopharmacologic treatment: findings from the Finnish 1981 birth cohort study. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009; 66(9):1005-12. DOI: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2009.122. View

17.

Ballard E, Bosk A, Pao M . Invited commentary: understanding brain mechanisms of pain processing in adolescents' non-suicidal self-injury. J Youth Adolesc. 2009; 39(4):327-34. DOI: 10.1007/s10964-009-9457-1. View

18.

Tietjen G, Brandes J, Peterlin B, Eloff A, Dafer R, Stein M . Childhood maltreatment and migraine (part III). Association with comorbid pain conditions. Headache. 2009; 50(1):42-51. DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2009.01558.x. View

19.

Tietjen G, Brandes J, Peterlin B, Eloff A, Dafer R, Stein M . Childhood maltreatment and migraine (part II). Emotional abuse as a risk factor for headache chronification. Headache. 2009; 50(1):32-41. DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2009.01557.x. View

20.

Herrenkohl R, Herrenkohl T . Assessing a child's experience of multiple maltreatment types: Some unfinished business. J Fam Violence. 2010; 24(7):485. PMC: 2818150. DOI: 10.1007/s10896-009-9247-2. View