Relationship of Parental Responses to Pain Catastrophization, Pain Intensity and Functional Limitations in Children with Functional Pain

Introduction: Pain is primarily a psychological experience. Based on social learning theory, studies have examined association between parental behaviours and child’s functioning in various pain situations. Objectives: 1) to examine relationship of parental responses to pain catastrophization, functional disability and pain intensity in children with functional pain complaints. 2) to explore psychosocial problems associated with functional pain. Methodology: Participants were 43 children diagnosed with functional pain, referred from Paediatric units of Kasturba Hospital, Manipal. Measures examining parental responses to pain, pain catastrophization, pain intensity, functional limitations and psychosocial problems were administered. Results: Analyses revealed significant associations between pain catastrophization and some of its types and functional disability. On the whole, statistically significant relationship between parental responses and pain catastrophization was not observed. But, on gender based analysis, solicitous parental response predicted pain rumination aspect of pain catastrophization in females. Among psychosocial problems, school and family problems were predominant. Conclusions: This study highlighted the role of pain catastrophization in predicting functional limitations in children and role of parental attention in increasing pain rumination in females. Hence, intervention should target the exaggerated pain perceptions, parental attention and psychosocial problems to ameliorate the functional limitations.