Child catastrophizing about parent chronic pain: A potential child vulnerability factor

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Pain Management
• Family Health

Background:

• Children of parents with chronic pain face higher risks for pain and internalizing symptoms.
• Child and parent pain catastrophizing are linked to poorer pain outcomes.
• The specific impact of child catastrophizing about parental pain on child outcomes is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the associations between child and parent catastrophizing (about self and each other's pain) and child/parent pain-related outcomes.
• To determine if child catastrophizing about parent pain predicts child outcomes independently of self-catastrophizing.

Main Methods:

• Seventy-two parents with chronic pain and their children (ages 8-15) completed questionnaires.
• Measures included trait catastrophizing (own and partner's pain), own pain, and child's internalizing symptoms.
• Children underwent a cold pressor task (CPT) with parent present; pain and anxiety were rated.

Main Results:

• Greater child catastrophizing about parent pain correlated with increased self-catastrophizing in both child and parent.
• Child catastrophizing about parent pain predicted higher child internalizing symptoms and CPT pain intensity.
• These associations remained significant even after accounting for child and parent self-catastrophizing.

Conclusions:

• Child catastrophizing about parent pain is a significant vulnerability factor for children with parents in chronic pain.
• This specific type of catastrophizing is associated with adverse child pain-related outcomes, including internalizing symptoms and acute pain.
• Clinical and research settings should consider assessing child catastrophizing about parental pain in this population.