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The Associations Between Sleep Disturbance, Psychological Dysfunction, Pain Intensity, and Pain Interference in

Ester Solé1,2, Saurab Sharma3,4, Alexandra Ferreira-Valente5,6

  • 1Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Unit for the Study and Treatment of Pain - ALGOS, Research Center for Behavior Assessment (CRAMC), Department of Psychology, Catalonia, Spain.

Pain Medicine (Malden, Mass.)
|December 1, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Sleep disturbance and psychological dysfunction significantly impact children with chronic pain. Sleep issues affect pain intensity and interference, while psychological factors primarily influence pain interference.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pain Management
  • Child Psychology
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Chronic pain affects a significant number of children, impacting their quality of life.
  • Sleep disturbances and psychological dysfunction are common comorbidities in pediatric chronic pain populations.
  • Understanding the interplay between sleep, psychological factors, and pain is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the associations between sleep disturbance and psychological dysfunction (anxiety, depression, anger) with pain intensity and pain interference in children with chronic pain.
  • To examine the moderating role of sex in these associations.
  • To explore the mediating effects of psychological dysfunction on the relationship between sleep disturbance and pain outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 342 children (aged 8-18) with chronic pain.
  • Participants completed validated questionnaires assessing pain intensity, pain interference, sleep disturbance, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and anger.
  • Regression analyses were employed to analyze direct, interaction, and mediation effects.

Main Results:

  • Sleep disturbance was significantly associated with both pain intensity and pain interference.
  • Psychological dysfunction measures were significantly associated only with pain interference.
  • Psychological dysfunction mediated the relationship between sleep disturbance and pain interference, but not pain intensity.

Conclusions:

  • Significant cross-sectional associations exist between sleep disturbance, psychological dysfunction, and pain outcomes in pediatric chronic pain.
  • Sleep disturbance and psychological dysfunction are key factors to consider in managing chronic pain in children.
  • Further research is needed to establish causal relationships and inform therapeutic interventions.
Abstract

Keywords:
AdolescentsChildrenChronic PainPain InterferencePsychological DysfunctionSleep

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