The effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy for pain in childhood and adolescence: a meta-analytic review

A variety of chronic painful conditions are present in the paediatric population. Patients with chronic pain often experience considerable scepticism and avoidance by health care providers. This meta-analytic review aimed to utilise well-designed studies, in examining the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in the treatment of chronic pain in children and adolescents.

Nine randomized controlled trial studies examining CBT for chronic pain were reviewed. Outcome measures were child reported pain intensity, pain duration and functional disability.

CBT had a large effect on pain intensity for recurrent abdominal pain (RAP), a small effect on headaches, and a medium effect on fibromyalgia. CBT had a medium effect on pain duration across pain types. CBT had a large effect on functional disability for RAP, a small effect on fibromyalgia and a moderate effect on headaches. Findings are limited by the small number of studies and varied control conditions.

CBT may be effective in reducing child reported pain symptomology. Future studies using a larger sample and examining the differential impact of varied control conditions are needed.