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The effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy for pain in childhood and adolescence: a meta-analytic review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 January 2016

A. Lonergan
A. Lonergan*
Affiliation:
University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
*
*Address for correspondence: A. Lonergan, Psychologist in Clinical Training, School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. (Email: aoife.lonergan@ucdconnect.ie)
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Abstract

Objectives

A variety of chronic painful conditions are present in the paediatric population. Patients with chronic pain often experience considerable scepticism and avoidance by health care providers. This meta-analytic review aimed to utilise well-designed studies, in examining the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in the treatment of chronic pain in children and adolescents.

Methods

Nine randomized controlled trial studies examining CBT for chronic pain were reviewed. Outcome measures were child reported pain intensity, pain duration and functional disability.

Results

CBT had a large effect on pain intensity for recurrent abdominal pain (RAP), a small effect on headaches, and a medium effect on fibromyalgia. CBT had a medium effect on pain duration across pain types. CBT had a large effect on functional disability for RAP, a small effect on fibromyalgia and a moderate effect on headaches. Findings are limited by the small number of studies and varied control conditions.

Conclusions

CBT may be effective in reducing child reported pain symptomology. Future studies using a larger sample and examining the differential impact of varied control conditions are needed.

Keywords

Children and adolescentscognitive behavioural therapyfibromyalgiaheadachesmeta-analysismigrainepainrecurrent abdominal pain
Type
Review Article
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 33 , Issue 4 , December 2016 , pp. 251 - 264
Copyright
© College of Psychiatrists of Ireland 2016 

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