A Parent-Targeted Group Intervention for Pediatric Pain Delivered In-Person or Virtually: Feasibility, Acceptability,...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Chronic Pain Management
• Intervention Research

Background:

• Parents of youth with chronic pain experience significant distress and play a crucial role in caregiving.
• Existing interventions often focus on the child, leaving parent-specific needs underserved.
• Resilience and risk factors like parenting self-regulation are critical in managing pediatric chronic pain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a cognitive-behavior therapy-based parent-targeted group intervention.
• To compare the impact of in-person versus virtual delivery formats for this parent intervention.
• To examine changes in parent psychological flexibility, protectiveness, distress, and parenting self-regulation.

Main Methods:

• Parents of youth with chronic pain were recruited from an outpatient clinic.
• Participants engaged in a group intervention delivered either in-person or virtually.
• Data on feasibility, acceptability, and parent outcomes were collected at baseline, posttreatment, and 3-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• The intervention demonstrated high feasibility and acceptability, with strong enrollment and attendance rates across both formats.
• Parents reported significant improvements in psychological flexibility, protectiveness, distress, and parenting self-regulation.
• While most outcomes showed no difference between delivery formats, a slight advantage for in-person delivery was noted for psychological flexibility.

Conclusions:

• A standalone parent-targeted group intervention effectively improved parent outcomes in pediatric chronic pain.
• Both in-person and virtual delivery formats are viable options for supporting parents of children with chronic pain.
• The intervention positively impacts key parental psychological and behavioral factors, contributing to better family-centered care.