Psychosocial Functioning of Parents of Youth Receiving Intensive Interdisciplinary Pain Treatment.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-16-2024

Identifier

DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsad092

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Parents of youth with chronic pain report psychosocial difficulties, yet treatment often focuses on improving their child's functioning and pain. This study evaluated changes in parents' social and emotional functioning and explored predictors of change, as they completed a parent-focused intervention while their child was enrolled in an intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) program.

METHODS: Parents (n = 69) completed questionnaires at baseline and weekly (average duration of 4 weeks) during their child's participation in IIPT. Parents engaged in 3 groups per week providing education, therapeutic art, and psychotherapy (3 hr/week total).

RESULTS: At baseline, 38% of parents reported scores in the clinically elevated range for at least 1 psychosocial variable. Linear mixed modeling for the full sample indicated reduced parent anxiety (t = -2.72, p. 05) or reduced social isolation (t = -1.20, p >.05). For parents with at least moderately elevated psychosocial concerns, statistically significant improvements were observed for all 4 outcomes (all p's < .01). Psychological flexibility, cognitive reappraisal, and emotional suppression were found to be related to changes in parent outcomes (anxiety, depression, isolation, and support).

CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the benefit of parent-focused interventions in addition to child-focused interventions. Many parents of youth participating in IIPT had elevated scores for at least 1 psychosocial concern at baseline. Brief, parent-focused intervention including psychoeducation, therapeutic art, and psychotherapy targeting mindfulness, acceptance, and values had a significant impact on these parents, particularly those with greater struggles at baseline.

Journal Title

Journal of pediatric psychology

Volume

49

Issue

5

First Page

309

Last Page

317

MeSH Keywords

Humans; Male; Female; Parents; Child; Adolescent; Chronic Pain; Adult; Psychosocial Functioning; Pain Management; Psychotherapy; Anxiety; Surveys and Questionnaires; Depression

Keywords

chronic pain; intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT); parent-based interventions; parental mental health; psychosocial functioning

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