The role of internalizing problems on headache characteristics and pain coping strategies among adolescents diagnosed with episodic migraine.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to investigate the correlational processes and possible mediation mechanisms between internalizing problems and significant indicators of headache (pain frequency, duration, and intensity) and pain coping strategies among adolescents diagnosed with episodic migraine. METHODS: The study sample included 143 adolescents diagnosed with episodic migraine in compliance with the diagnostic criteria specified in ICHD-3. In collecting data, Sociodemographic Information Form, Headache Questionnaire Form, Pain Coping Questionnaire, Children's Depression Questionnaire, and Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Disorders: Child Form were used. Statistical analyses of the study were carried out using the 'SPSS for Windows Package Program.' RESULTS: The findings of the study indicate that adolescents suffer from a higher headache frequency per month in parallel with higher levels of depression (r=0.28, p<0.05), total anxiety (r=0.19, p<0.05), panic disorder/somatic symptoms (r=0.22, p<0.05), and school avoidance (r=0.21, p<0.05). In addition, the higher the levels of internalizing problems among adolescents are, the more common is the use of coping strategies that give rise to feelings of helplessness in the face of pain (r=0.27, p<0.01). On the other hand, the study findings concerning mediation mechanisms show that the level of depression is a full mediator in correlations between the levels of panic disorders/somatic symptoms and school avoidance and both monthly headache frequency and use of coping strategies that give rise to feelings of helplessness in the face of pain among adolescents. CONCLUSION: The results of the study also offer an insight into the age-related phenotypic variation and chronicity of migraine.

Corrigendum: The mediating role of early maladaptive schemas on the relationship between illness perception and pain coping strategies among adolescents diagnosed with migraine.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1128965.].

Early maladaptive schemas in episodic and chronic migraine in adolescents.

Introduction: Psychotherapies, such as schema therapy, are receiving increasing attention in the management of pediatric headaches. The purpose of this study was to investigate early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) in adolescents with episodic migraine (EM) and chronic migraine (CM). Methods: This clinic-based, cross-sectional study consisted of 167 adolescents, aged 12-18, who were diagnosed with EM (n = 140) and CM (n = 27). The clinical characteristics of migraine, its accompanying symptoms, EMSs, the interrelationship of EMSs, depression, and anxiety were evaluated. We specifically analyzed psychopathology and abuse history as covariates in this study. Results: Defectiveness/shame, mistrust/abuse, abandonment/instability, enmeshment/undeveloped self, self-sacrifice, and subjugation schemas were more prevalent in the CM group. In terms of schema domains, the CM group scored significantly higher in disconnection/rejection and other orientations. Psychopathology did not affect the EMS scores, but a history of sexual abuse did. In patients with EM, a relationship was found between the variables of anxiety, depression, and five of the EMS domains. On the other hand, the CM group showed a significant relationship with anxiety, hypervigilance/inhibition, disconnection/rejection, and other orientation domains. Discussion: This study highlights the value of EMSs, anxiety, and depression in young people with EM and CM. Schema therapy and schema-based therapeutic interventions should be researched, especially in pediatric migraine, as they may potentially prevent the progression to treatment-resistant migraine.

The mediating role of early maladaptive schemas on the relationship between illness perception and pain coping strategies among adolescents diagnosed with migraine.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the mediating role of early maladaptive schemas on the relationship between illness-related perceptions and pain coping strategies among adolescents diagnosed with migraine. Material and methods: A total of 134 adolescents (aged 12-18 years) diagnosed with migraine with and without aura participated in the study. The Illness Perception Questionnaire, the Pain Coping Questionnaire, and the Early Maladaptive Schema Questionnaires Set for Children and Adolescents were used. Results: The intensity of using desperate ways of coping with pain was higher among adolescents who perceive migraine as a chronic disease (ß = 0.199, p < 0.05) even if they have episodic attacks and who have higher levels of coherency in understanding the illness (ß = 0.256, p < 0.01). First, full mediations of over-vigilance/inhibition and impaired autonomy/performance schema domains on these relations were observed. Second, the increases in negative cognitive (ß = 0.199, p < 0.05) and emotional (ß = 0.280, p < 0.01) representations related to the consequences of the illness lead to an increase in the uncontrolled and frequent use of analgesic drugs where the partial mediating role of over-vigilance/inhibition schema domain on this correlation is observed. The perceptions about the negative as well as serious consequences of migraine are related to both the self-active behaviors (ß = 0.181, p < 0.05) and the conscious cognitive attempts (ß = 0.207, p < 0.05) as effective coping strategies, which is an unexpected finding. The disconnection/rejection schema domain had a full mediation role on both relations. Conclusion: The results suggest that early maladaptive schemas are essential factors that affect the migraine coping processes of adolescents.

Early maladaptive schemas differing according to sex may contribute to migraine among the youth.

OBJECTIVE: Despite many diverse findings from studies about the comorbidity of psychiatric disorders and migraine, there are still unknown points. Schemas, which are the basic structures of cognition, are understudied. This study examined the effects of sex on early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) and the clinical characteristics of migraine in adolescents with migraine. METHODS: The sample comprised 171 adolescents (67.3% females, n = 115) aged 12-18 years. The clinical characteristics of migraine (duration, severity, frequency of headaches, etc.), accompanying symptoms (nausea, vomiting, photophobia, etc.) and EMSs were evaluated depending on sex. Psychopathology and abuse history were analyzed as covariates in this study. RESULTS: The mean age was 15.4 ± 1.9 among the females and 15.2 ± 2.0 among the males (p = 0.65). There was no difference in terms of migraine characteristics, and except for dizziness and pain relief by massage, all other symptoms were similar between the sexes. Female adolescent migraineurs significantly elevated scores for EMS of emotional deprivation, abandonment/instability, defectiveness/shame (disconnection/rejection domain), dependence/incompetence, vulnerability to harm/illness, failure (in impaired autonomy/performance domain) and negativity/pessimism (in hypervigilance/inhibition domain). On the other hand, male migraineurs had significantly elevated scores only in insufficient self-control/self-discipline (in impaired limits domain). Type of migraine and current psychopathology had no significant effect on the EMS domains, while sexual abuse history significantly affected some EMS. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the importance of screening for EMSs among adolescent patients with migraine. Schema therapy and similar therapeutic interventions may be used in the management of migraine in adolescents. Gender may also be important factor the schema therapy in adolescent migraine patients.

A Case of Astasia-Abasia as Early Onset Conversion Disorder Triggered by Psychosocial Stress Factors. / Psikososyal Stres Faktörleriyle Tetiklenen Erken Baslangiçli Konversiyon Bozuklugu Olarak Astazi-Abazi Olgusu.

Conversion disorder is defined as the loss or change of motor, sensory, and autonomic nervous system-related functions that cannot be explained completely with organic causes. The etiology of the disease may be explained by psychoanalytic theory, learning theory, sociocultural factors, and some traumatic life events besides genetic and neurobiological factors. The onset is usually between late childhood and early adulthood. The disorder occurs after a high rate of psychosocial stressors and the symptoms can vary. While astasia, as one of the possible complaints in conversion disorder, is defined as not being able to stand due to loss of motor power or sensory loss; abasia is identified as patients having no apparent motor problem but not being able to walk properly. Both conditions can be of organic as well as the psychogenic origin. In this paper, the clinical signs of a seven-year-old boy who was admitted to emergency service of Mersin University Faculty of Medicine with the complaints of astasia and abasia but was found to have conversion disorder is presented. The results of the medical examinations and the possible psychosocial stress factors behind these symptoms, as well as the treatment process of the case, were shared. With this report, we is aimed to draw attention to the importance of early diagnosis of the disorder, the necessity of an interdisciplinary approach in the treatment process, and the handling of psychosocial factors leading to somatic symptoms.