Parent Psychological Flexibility in Pediatric Chronic Pain

Pediatric chronic pain is embedded within parent-youth relationships. Parent risk factors have been associated with poor functional outcomes in youth with chronic pain. Research delineating the role of parent psychological flexibility in the context of pediatric chronic pain remains limited. The study examines the influences of parental responses on youth's functional outcomes. The study aims to examine associations between parent psychological flexibility and youth's functional interference. 127 youth (66.1% female) with mixed etiology chronic pain, ranging in age from 8 to 17 years (M = 12.24; SD = 1.598), and their parent participated in the study at an interdisciplinary pediatric pain clinic and online pain peer support groups. Measures of demographic and pain characteristics, youth's functional interference, pain acceptance, and parent psychological flexibility were collected. Regression results indicated that youth's reported pain intensity [B = 3.01, SE = 0.441, p <.0005], and parent psychological flexibility [B = - 0.006, SE = 0.003, p = 0.042] were independently associated with youth's self-reported functional interference. Findings underscore how parent psychological flexibility positively impacts youth's pain related functioning. Implications highlight the need for parents' inclusion as targets for change in clinical interventions and may further optimize treatments aimed at improving the functioning of youth with pain by addressing parent psychological flexibility.