Pain Self-Efficacy Measures for Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

To conduct a systematic review on pain self-efficacy measures in children and adolescents. The review aims: (a) to summarize all self-report measures of pain self-efficacy that have been used with children and adolescents; (b) to rate the quality of these measures; (c) to summarize associations between pain self-efficacy and other constructs.

To identify studies for inclusion, we searched Medline, PsycINFO, and relevant literature. We identified self-report measures of pain self-efficacy in studies with children and adolescents and extracted information on content, use and psychometric properties of these measures. All identified measures were rated according to the criteria for evidence-based assessment of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. For studies that used measures that were rated "well-established" or "approaching well-established," data were extracted on associations of pain self-efficacy with other constructs.

Thirty-nine articles were included that described 12 different pain self-efficacy measures. Two of these measures were rated "well-established," one assessing self-efficacy for functioning despite pain and one assessing self-efficacy for impacting abdominal pain. Two measures were rated "approaching well-established." Higher pain self-efficacy was associated with less pain intensity, less pain-related disability, less catastrophizing, and less depressive and somatic symptoms and with more pain acceptance and more positive self-instructions. Boys reported higher self-efficacy scores than girls.

Currently, there is no standard assessment of pain self-efficacy in children and adolescents. Two "well-established" measures are available, each with a slightly different focus. Overall, results are in line with the understanding of pain self-efficacy as a resilience factor for coping with pain.