Anxiety Adversely Impacts Response to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Children with Chronic Pain

To evaluate whether clinical anxiety in children presenting to a pediatric pain management center is associated with a poorer treatment response for those who completed pain-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

The total sample consisted of 175 children, 40 of whom completed CBT for chronic pain. The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders was completed at initial evaluation and outcome measures (average pain intensity and the Functional Disability Inventory) were collected during the initial evaluation and at the end of CBT. Group differences in outcomes were examined following CBT. The role of anxiety in CBT initiation and completion was also explored.

Presence of clinical anxiety was associated with greater initiation and/or completion of pain-focused CBT but also a poorer treatment response. Specifically, the group with subclinical anxiety exhibited a substantial reduction in pain intensity, and the group with clinical anxiety exhibited a more limited response to treatment (F [1, 36] = 13.68 P < .01). A similar effect was observed for Functional Disability Inventory, such that the group with clinical anxiety had a significantly smaller response to treatment (F [1, 38] = 4.33 P < .05). The difference in pain and disability between groups following CBT suggest moderate effects (Cohen d = 0.77 and 0.78, respectively).

Although youths with clinical anxiety are more likely to start and/or complete pain-focused CBT, anxiety has an adverse impact on CBT treatment response in children with chronic pain. Identification of patients with anxiety and use of tailored behavioral interventions may improve clinical outcomes.