[Primary headache in childhood and adolescence. The association between changes in family interaction patterns and...

Family interaction patterns are often involved in diseases and disorders in childhood and adolescence in complex ways (e.g in their development, maintenance and cure). The present study deals with the role of family factors in success in a pediatric headache therapy consisting of group hypnotherapy and systemic family consultation.

A sample of 12 outpatients, aged 9-15 years and balanced in sex, is investigated. Patients were diagnosed by IHS-criteria. Global symptom strain was measured by numeric rating scale (NRS) at pre-appointment and at 9-months follow-up appointment. Also family interaction patterns associated with the occurrence of headache symptoms were measured by content analysis.

We found an association between changes in two independently assessed variables: global symptom strain and family interaction patterns. (1) When patients assessed global symptom strain as unchanged, family interaction patterns associated with headache were also assessed as unchanged by observers; (2) when patients assessed their global symptom strain as positively changed, family interaction pattern associated with headache were also assessed as positively changed by observers.

These data provide empirical evidence about when to include family in treatment of pediatric headache: when rigid family interaction patterns associated with headache complicate a symptom change.