Facilitating open family communication when a parent has chronic pain: A scoping review

When a parent has chronic pain, family communication can become strained. Clinicians are encouraged to identify and support families struggling with open communication. Occupational therapists are commonly involved in the provision of pain management services but their role in facilitating open communication in families affected by this condition has not been clearly articulated.

To develop a comprehensive understanding of what is being done and/or thought to be helpful for facilitating open communication in families affected by chronic pain, in order to articulate the role of occupational therapy in this area of care.

A scoping review was conducted and 24 items analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

The facilitation of open communication in families affected by parental chronic pain is dependent on a variety of factors, including the skills that members possess and occupations which they perform individually and together. It can also be prompted by relationship tension or a family accessing professional support. Occupational therapy literature on the matter is currently limited and focused on assertiveness training.

There is scope for occupational therapist to extend their role beyond assertiveness training and use occupation-centered interventions to facilitate communication within families affected by parental chronic pain.