Variations in Psychological Profile Among Children with Recurrent Abdominal Pain

This study was designed to determine whether distinct subgroups of children with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) could be identified based on patterns of psychological functioning. Two hundred and eighty-three children (ages 8–17 years), and a primary caretaker, completed the Behavior Assessment Syst...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of clinical psychology in medical settings 2008-09, Vol.15 (3), p.241-251
Main Authors: Schurman, Jennifer Verrill, Danda, Caroline Elder, Friesen, Craig A., Hyman, Paul E., Simon, Stephen D., Cocjin, Jose T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdomen
Abdominal Pain - psychology
Adolescent
Analysis of Variance
Child
Child Behavior - psychology
Children & youth
Chronic illnesses
Chronic pain
Cluster Analysis
Disease
Emotions
Families & family life
Family Medicine
Female
General Practice
Health Psychology
Humans
Irritable bowel syndrome
Male
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Parents
Parents & parenting
Pediatrics
Psychology, Child
Questionnaires
Recurrence
Self Disclosure
Self report
Social Behavior
Surveys and Questionnaires
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Summary:This study was designed to determine whether distinct subgroups of children with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) could be identified based on patterns of psychological functioning. Two hundred and eighty-three children (ages 8–17 years), and a primary caretaker, completed the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) during the initial evaluation of RAP at a pediatric gastroenterology clinic. Cluster analysis of BASC scores supported a 3-cluster solution, with fair agreement observed between parents and children on cluster assignment. Approximately half of the sample identified no significant psychological problems. A small percentage (13%) evidenced intense and broad-based psychological problems, while the remainder (35–45%) indicated relative elevations in anxiety only. Cluster membership did not vary systematically by age, gender, race, or functional gastrointestinal disorder diagnosis. Distinct psychological profiles appear to exist for children with RAP. Targeting treatments to these profiles may improve the effectiveness and efficiency with which health professionals address pediatric abdominal pain.
ISSN:1068-9583
1573-3572
DOI:10.1007/s10880-008-9120-0