Agreement between child self-report and parent-proxy report for functioning in pediatric chronic pain

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Pain Management
• Child Health

Background:

• Accurate assessment of pediatric chronic pain and functional disability is crucial for effective pain management.
• Parent-proxy reports are frequently used but often show variance compared to child self-reports.
• Understanding factors influencing child-parent agreement in reporting pain-related functioning is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess agreement between child and parent-proxy reports of pain interference using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) in children with chronic pain.
• To identify factors associated with improved agreement between child and parent reports.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 127 children (ages 8-17) with chronic pain and their parents participated.
• Data was collected from an interdisciplinary pediatric pain clinic and online peer support groups.
• Measures included demographic information, pain intensity, and functional disability (PROMIS pain interference).

Main Results:

• Parent-proxy reports of PROMIS pain interference were significantly lower than child self-reports (p < 0.05).
• Higher child-reported pain intensity was significantly associated with a larger difference between child and parent reports of functional interference (β = 0.953, P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Parents tend to underestimate the functional disability experienced by children with chronic pain.
• The discrepancy in reports is linked to the child's self-reported pain intensity.
• Incorporating child and adolescent self-reports is vital for a comprehensive understanding of pediatric chronic pain and guiding interventions.