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Psychosocial predictors of children's postoperative pain
T M Palermo1, D D Drotar, S Lambert
1Department of Psychology at Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Insights
Psychosocial factors significantly predict children's postsurgical pain intensity. Assessing anticipatory distress preoperatively can identify pediatric patients at risk for severe pain.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychology
- Pain Management
- Child Health
Background:
- Postoperative pain in children is a significant clinical concern.
- Understanding factors influencing pain intensity is crucial for effective management.
- Psychosocial variables are increasingly recognized for their role in pain perception.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the predictive influence of psychosocial variables on children's postsurgical pain intensity.
- To determine if factors like anticipatory distress and coping strategies impact pain levels.
- To explore the utility of psychosocial assessments in preoperative pediatric evaluations.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 42 children (ages 7-17) were interviewed preoperatively.
- Assessments included anticipatory distress and coping strategy history.
- Postoperative pain intensity was measured using visual analog scales.
Main Results:
- Most children reported moderate to severe postoperative pain.
- Psychosocial variables significantly improved pain prediction models.
- Anticipatory distress emerged as a key predictor of pain intensity.
Conclusions:
- Psychosocial factors play a critical role in children's postsurgical pain experience.
- Preoperative assessment of psychosocial variables, such as distress, is recommended for at-risk pediatric patients.
- Integrating psychosocial assessments can enhance pain management strategies for children undergoing surgery.
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of psychosocial variables in the prediction of children's pain intensity following surgery. Forty-two children, ages 7 to 17 years (M = 12.26, SD = 3.06), completed an interview 1 week prior to surgery assessing anticipatory distress related to their forthcoming surgery and history of coping strategy use. Following surgery, children reported the intensity of their pain using visual analog scales. Findings demonstrated that the majority of children experienced moderate to severe postoperative pain. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that psychosocial variables added to the prediction of children's postoperative pain after controlling for the influence of surgery-related and demographic variables. These findings lend initial support for the inclusion of psychosocial assessment measures (e.g., anticipatory surgery distress) in the preoperative assessment of pediatric patients who may be at risk for excessive postsurgical pain.