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Headache and recurrent abdominal pain: a controlled study by the means of the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL)
F Galli1, G D'Antuono, S Tarantino
1Faculty of Psychology 1, Univesity of Rome 'La Sapienza', Rome, Italy.
Insights
Headache and recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) in children share similar psychological profiles, with both groups showing more internalizing issues like anxiety and fewer externalizing behaviors. These findings impact diagnosis, treatment, and understanding the causes of these common childhood conditions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Child Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Headache and recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) are prevalent in children, often managed by pediatricians.
- Both conditions share similarities in triggers, comorbidities, family burden, and a risk of chronicity.
- Direct comparative studies on headache and RAP are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the psychological profiles of children and adolescents with headache and RAP against healthy controls.
- To investigate potential shared etiological factors between these two common childhood disorders.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 210 children and adolescents (ages 4-18) was conducted.
- Participants included 70 headache patients, 70 RAP patients, and 70 healthy controls, diagnosed using international criteria (ICHD-II for headache, Rome II for RAP).
- The Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) was used to assess psychological profiles, with one-way ANOVA employed for group comparisons.
Main Results:
- Both headache and RAP groups exhibited similar trends compared to controls on the CBCL.
- Statistically significant increases in the Internalizing scale (anxiety, mood, somatic complaints) were observed in both patient groups.
- No significant differences were found in the Externalizing (behavioral) scale; however, migraineurs showed a significant difference in Attention Problems compared to RAP patients.
Conclusions:
- Headache and RAP in children present with highly similar psychological profiles.
- These findings are crucial for diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, as well as for understanding the etiological underpinnings.
- The shared psychological characteristics suggest a potential common pathway or influence in the development of these conditions.
Abstract:
Headache and recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) are common disorders in children and adolescents, frequently referred to paediatricians. Both disorders show similarities in trigger and comorbid factors, their burden on family and individual life, and a paroxysmal trend with risks of chronicization over time. However, very few studies have compared directly headache and RAP. The main aim of this study was to compare the psychological profile of headache and RAP patients vs. healthy controls. A total of 210 children and adolescents [99 boys, 111 girls; age range 4-18 years; mean age (m.a.) = 11.04, SD 4.05] were assessed: 70 headache patients (m.a. 12.4 years; SD 2.9; F = 35, M = 35), 70 RAP patients (m.a. 9 years; SD 3.6; F = 30, M = 40) and 70 controls (m.a. 11.7 years; SD 4.6; F = 46, M = 24). The diagnoses had been made according to international systems of classification both for headache (ICHD-II criteria) and RAP (Rome II criteria). The psychological profile had been made according to the Child Behaviour Checklist 4-18 (CBCL). anova one-way analysis was used to compare CBCL scales and subscales between groups. Headache and RAP showed a very similar trend vs. control for the main scales of the CBCL, with a statistically significant tendency to show problems in the Internalizing scale (anxiety, mood and somatic complaints) and no problems in the Externalizing (behavioural) scale. Only for the Attention Problems subscale migraineurs showed a significant difference compared with RAP. In conclusion, headache and RAP show a very similar psychological profile that should be considered not only for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, but also from the aetiological aspect.
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