Characteristics and outcomes of youth with functional seizures attending intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment.

Functional seizures (FS) can be debilitating and negatively impact quality of life. Yet intervention research for FS is limited, especially for youth. This study examined clinical characteristics and outcomes of youth with FS (13-23 years) presenting to a pediatric intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) program in the midwestern United States. Sixty youth (mean age = 16.5 years; 83.3 % female) met inclusion criteria. At intake, comorbid chronic pain, somatic symptoms, autonomic dysfunction, eating and weight disturbances, and mental health concerns were common. Despite this high symptom burden, youth with FS reported significant improvements in functioning measured with the Functional Disability Inventory, t(53) = 9.80, p <.001, d = 1.32; depression measured with the Center for Epidemiological Studies - Depression Scale for Children, t(53) = 6.76, p <.001, d = 0.91; anxiety measured with the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale, t(53) = 3.97, p < .001, d = 0.53; and catastrophizing measured with the Pain Catastrophizing Scale for Children, t(53) = 6.44, p <.001, d = 0.86, following completion of the program, suggesting that IIPT may be an effective treatment option for highly disabled and emotionally distressed youth with FS. Future research is needed to continue to refine best practices for youth with FS to reduce suffering and improve outcomes.

Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Discrimination and Chronic Pain in Children: A National Study.

INTRODUCTION: This study provides national estimates of parental perceived child sexual orientation or gender minority (SGM) discrimination and examines associations between SGM discrimination and chronic pain in children. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of the 2020 and 2021 National Survey of Children's Health (N=47,213). Caregivers of children ages 6-17 years old reported whether their child had ever been treated or judged unfairly (i.e., discrimination) because of their SGM identity. Chronic pain in children was defined as frequent or chronic difficulty with repeated or chronic physical pain during the past 12 months, as reported by caregivers. Weighted prevalence estimates for discrimination were calculated for the whole sample and sociodemographic subgroups. Associations between SGM discrimination and chronic pain were estimated using multivariable Poisson regression models adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Analyses were conducted 2022-2023. RESULTS: Within this nationally representative sample, parents reported 1.4% (95% CI 1.2%-1.6%) of children have experienced SGM-related discrimination. The prevalence was higher among adolescents, females at birth, and those living in suburban areas. Children who experienced discrimination had a higher prevalence of chronic pain (20.2%) compared to those who did not (7.0%, p<0.0001), with an adjusted prevalence rate ratio of 2.0 (95% CI 1.5-2.5, p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Based on parent report, about 0.6 million children in the U.S. have experienced SGM-based discrimination; these children are twice as likely to have chronic pain. Findings highlight the importance of assessment and intervention for chronic pain in children who may experience marginalization and discrimination due to their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Gender Diversity Among Youth Attending an Intensive Interdisciplinary Pain Treatment Program.

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth with chronic pain may be at unique risk for psychological distress and associated functional impairment, yet research on the intersection of chronic pain and gender identity is lacking. In a retrospective chart review of 491 participants admitted to a pediatric intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) program in the midwestern United States over an approximately 4-year period, 6.11% were TGD. TGD participants who completed the IIPT program reported significant and large improvements in anxiety, depression, pain catastrophizing, and functional ability. At baseline, TGD participants presented as more emotionally distressed and functionally impaired compared to age-matched, cisgender peers. When accounting for baseline scores, TGD participants who completed the IIPT program reported similar scores to cisgender peers at discharge, yet TGD youth were significantly less likely than cisgender peers to complete the IIPT program. Future directions and implications for clinical practice are discussed.

Longitudinal Pain Outcomes Following an Intensive Pediatric Pain Rehabilitation Program: Testing Potential Treatment Mechanisms.

OBJECTIVES: This study tested performance measures of physical functioning and pain-related psychosocial measures as potential mechanisms of improvements in outcomes following intensive outpatient interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation for adolescents. We hypothesized that improvements in performance measures of physical functioning, fear of pain, pain catastrophizing, and self-efficacy during treatment would be related to improvements in pain, functional disability, and depressive symptoms. METHODS: Seventy-seven adolescents, 10 to 18 years old, completed self-report measures before treatment, after the first week, at discharge, and at the 3-month follow-up. Participants completed physical performance measures of physical and exercise capacity and core strength on day 1, after the first week, and at discharge. Linear mixed models were used to examine the association between changes in potential mechanisms and changes in outcomes, adjusting for age, sex, pain duration, and baseline functional disability. RESULTS: Statistically significant improvement in functional disability, pain, and depressive symptoms was demonstrated across the 4 time points. Improvements were also demonstrated in physical performance measures, fear of pain, pain catastrophizing, and self-efficacy. Improvements in pain catastrophizing predicted improvements in functional disability, pain, and depressive symptoms. Improvements in self-efficacy predicted improvements in all outcome variables except depression. Improvements in physical performance measures predicted improvements in some aspects of functional disability and pain, but not depressive symptoms. DISCUSSION: This study contributes to the growing literature on the effectiveness of pediatric intensive interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs and mechanisms that influence improvements in outcomes, an area that is currently underexplored. Results are important to guide future research and inform clinical practice.

Short-Term Findings From Testing EPIO, a Digital Self-Management Program for People Living With Chronic Pain: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain conditions involve numerous physical and psychological challenges, and while psychosocial self-management interventions can be of benefit for people living with chronic pain, such in-person treatment is not always accessible. Digital self-management approaches could improve this disparity, potentially bolstering outreach and providing easy, relatively low-cost access to pain self-management interventions. OBJECTIVE: This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the short-term efficacy of EPIO (ie, inspired by the Greek goddess for the soothing of pain, Epione), a digital self-management intervention, for people living with chronic pain. METHODS: Patients (N=266) were randomly assigned to either the EPIO intervention (n=132) or a care-as-usual control group (n=134). Outcome measures included pain interference (Brief Pain Inventory; primary outcome measure), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), self-regulatory fatigue (Self-Regulatory Fatigue 18 scale), health-related quality of life (SF-36 Short Form Health Survey), pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale), and pain acceptance (Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire). Linear regression models used change scores as the dependent variables. RESULTS: The participants were primarily female (210/259, 81.1%), with a median age of 49 (range 22-78) years and a variety of pain conditions. Analyses (n=229) after 3 months revealed no statistically significant changes for the primary outcome of pain interference (P=.84), but significant reductions in the secondary outcomes of depression (mean difference -0.90; P=.03) and self-regulatory fatigue (mean difference -2.76; P=.008) in favor of the intervention group. No other statistically significant changes were observed at 3 months (all P>.05). Participants described EPIO as useful (ie, totally agree or agree; 95/109, 87.2%) and easy to use (101/109, 92.7%), with easily understandable exercises (106/109, 97.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Evidence-informed, user-centered digital pain self-management interventions such as EPIO may have the potential to effectively support self-management and improve psychological functioning in the form of reduced symptoms of depression and improved capacity to regulate thoughts, feelings, and behavior for people living with chronic pain. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03705104; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03705104.

Feasibility of wearable activity tracking devices to measure physical activity and sleep change among adolescents with chronic pain-a pilot nonrandomized treatment study.

Purpose: Personal informatics devices are being used to measure engagement in health behaviors in adults with chronic pain and may be appropriate for adolescent use. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utilization of a wearable activity tracking device to measure physical activity and sleep among adolescents attending a three-week, intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) program. We also assessed changes in physical activity and sleep from baseline to the treatment phase. Methods: Participants (57.1% female, average age 15.88, SD = 1.27) wore an activity tracking device three weeks prior to starting and during the treatment program. Results: Of 129 participants contacted, 47 (36.4%) agreed to participate. However, only 30 (64%) complied with the instructions for using the device prior to programming and during program participation. Preliminary analyses comparing averages from 3-weeks pre-treatment to 3-weeks during treatment indicated increases in daily overall activity minutes, daily step counts, and minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (by 353%), as well as a corresponding decrease in sedentary minutes. There was more missing data for sleep than anticipated. Conclusions: Wearable activity tracking devices can be successfully used to measure adolescent physical activity in-person, with more difficulty obtaining this information remotely. Adolescents with chronic pain experience improvements in objective measurements of physical activity over the course of a 3-week IIPT program. Future studies may want to spend more time working with pediatric patients on their understanding of how to use trackers for sleep and physical activity.

Engaging with EPIO, a digital pain self-management program: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain conditions entail significant personal and societal burdens and improved outreach of evidence-based pain self-management programs are needed. Digital cognitive-behavioral self-management interventions have shown promise. However, evidence is still scarce and several challenges with such interventions for chronic pain exist. Exploring patients' experiences and engagement with digital interventions may be an essential step towards developing meaningful digital self-management interventions for those living with chronic pain. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to gain insight into the experiences of people with chronic pain when engaging with EPIO, an application (app)-based cognitive-behavioral pain self-management intervention program. METHODS: Participants (N = 50) living with chronic pain received access to the EPIO intervention in a feasibility pilot-study for 3 months. During this time, all participants received a follow-up phone call at 2-3 weeks, and a subsample (n = 15) also participated in individual semi-structured interviews after 3 months. A qualitative design was used and thematic analysis was employed aiming to capture participants' experiences when engaging with the EPIO intervention program. RESULTS: Findings identifying program-related experiences and engagement were organized into three main topics, each with three sub-themes: (1) Engaging with EPIO; motivation to learn, fostering joy and enthusiasm, and helpful reminders and personalization, (2) Coping with pain in everyday life; awareness, practice and using EPIO in everyday life, and (3) The value of engaging with the EPIO program; EPIO - a friend, making peace with the presence of pain, and fostering communication and social support. CONCLUSIONS: This qualitative study explored participants' experiences and engagement with EPIO, a digital self-management intervention program for people living with chronic pain. Findings identified valued aspects related to motivation for engagement, and showed how such a program may be incorporated into daily life, and encourage a sense of acceptance, social support and relatedness. The findings highlight vital components for facilitating digital program engagement and use in support of self-management for people living with chronic pain. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03705104 .

Health care providers' experiences of pain management and attitudes towards digitally supported self-management interventions for chronic pain: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain constitutes a significant burden for the individuals affected, and is a frequent reason why patients seek health care services. While in-person psychosocial interventions can be of support to people living with chronic pain, such interventions are not always accessible. eHealth interventions may provide greater accessibility, but the evidence and use of digital self-management solutions for chronic pain are still limited and the lack of health care provider input in the development process of such solutions a concern. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to investigate health care providers' experiences of treating patients with chronic pain, their attitudes towards, and use of, digital solutions in pain management, and their suggestions for content and design elements for a potential digital pain self-management intervention. METHODS: Twelve health care providers representing a variety of health care disciplines participated in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The material was analyzed into three main themes: [1] Patients with chronic pain and their current use of the health care services, [2] Health care providers' own motivation and impression of patient prerequisites for use of digital self-management interventions, and [3] Suggestions for content and design elements in a digital self-management intervention for people living with chronic pain. The challenges faced by patients living with chronic pain were described as numerous. Despite interest and positive attitudes, few of the health care providers had used or recommended eHealth solutions to their patients. A range of potential content and functionality elements were identified, including aspects of motivation and engagement and providers also emphasized the importance of easy access and positive, personal content to support existing treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This study offers insights into health care providers' considerations for the potential of digital self-management interventions supporting patients living with chronic pain. Findings indicate the need for change and a more comprehensive treatment approach to pain management. eHealth solutions may contribute to such change, and providers pointed to a need for health care provider involvement, timely support and follow-up as important factors for integrating digital pain self-management interventions into clinical care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT03705104.

Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder in Children and Adolescents within Medical Settings.

Pediatric functional neurological symptom disorder (FNSD or conversion disorder) is an often misunderstood but treatable condition that frequently presents in medical settings with unexplained symptoms. Although research regarding treatment of pediatric FNSD is increasing, it is still in its infancy and studies in pediatrics do not provide clear guidelines about which patients are most likely to benefit from various treatments. The role of pediatric psychologists may include consultation, assessment, treatment, program development, and providing education to patients, families, and healthcare colleagues in various disciplines. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of FNSD, discuss the importance of timely and accurate diagnosis, suggest how to present information to patients and families, and present options for treatment that are either supported by preliminary research or clinical experiences of the authors.

Digital Self-Management in Support of Patients Living With Chronic Pain: Feasibility Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain can be complex and taxing to live with, and treatment and support require a multicomponent approach, which may not always be offered or available. Smartphones, tablets, and personal computers are already incorporated into patients' daily lives, and therefore, they can be used to communicate, educate, and support self-management. Although some web-based self-management interventions exist, research examining the evidence and effect of digital solutions supporting self-management for patients living with chronic pain is limited, findings are inconclusive, and new innovative ideas and solutions are needed. OBJECTIVE: This feasibility pilot study aimed to explore the system use, perceived usefulness, ease of use, and preliminary effects of EPIO, an app-based cognitive-behavioral pain self-management intervention program for patients living with chronic pain. METHODS: The EPIO intervention was delivered in a blended-care model containing (1) one face-to-face introduction session, (2) nine cognitive behavior-based pain self-management modules, delivered in an app-based format for smartphones or tablets, and (3) one follow-up phone call at 2 to 3 weeks after the introduction session. Patients living with chronic pain (N=50) completed pre-post outcome measures at baseline and 3 months after the introduction session, with registration of system use (ie, log data) until 6 months. The use, perceived usefulness, and ease of use of the EPIO program were examined through system use data, as well as a study-specific use/usability questionnaire and the System Usability Scale (SUS). Outcome measures to test feasibility of use and estimate preliminary effects included the Brief Pain Inventory, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Self-Regulatory Fatigue scale, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire. RESULTS: Participants (N=50) had a median age of 52 years (range 29-74 years) at inclusion and were mainly female (40/50, 80%). Thirty-one participants completed at least six of the nine modules within the 3-month study period (62% completion rate). Forty-five participants completed outcome measures at 3 months, and the EPIO program was rated as useful (ie, "totally agree" or "agree"; 39/45, 87%) and easy to use (42/45, 93%), and as having easily understandable exercises (44/45, 98%). The average overall system usability (SUS) score was 85.7, indicating grade A and excellent system usability. Preliminary psychosocial outcome measure estimates showed primarily nonsignificant pre-post intervention improvements at 3 months, but with significant positive effects related to some aspects of HRQoL (bodily pain, P=.02 and change, P=.049). CONCLUSIONS:  Digital self-management intervention programs may be of use and support for patients living with chronic pain. In this feasibility study, EPIO showed an acceptable program completion rate and was rated as useful and easy to use, with excellent user satisfaction. Program optimization and efficacy testing in a large-scale randomized controlled trial are warranted and in progress. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03705104; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03705104.

A User-Centered Approach to an Evidence-Based Electronic Health Pain Management Intervention for People With Chronic Pain: Design and Development of EPIO.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain conditions are complicated and challenging to live with. Electronic health (eHealth) interventions show promise in helping people cope with chronic illness, including pain. The success of these interventions depends not only on the technology and intervention content but also on the users' acceptance and adherence. Involving all stakeholders (eg, patients, spouses, health care providers, designers, software developers, and researchers) and exploring their input and preferences in the design and development process is an important step toward developing meaningful interventions and possibly strengthening treatment outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to design and develop a user-centered, evidence-based eHealth self-management intervention for people with chronic pain. METHODS: The study employed a multidisciplinary and user-centered design approach. Overall, 20 stakeholders from the project team (ie, 7 researchers, 5 editors, 7 software developers, and 1 user representative), together with 33 external stakeholders (ie, 12 health care providers, 1 health care manger, 1 eHealth research psychologist, and 17 patients with chronic pain and 2 of their spouses) participated in a user-centered development process that included workshops, intervention content development, and usability testing. Intervention content was developed and finalized based on existing evidence, stakeholder input, and user testing. Stakeholder input was examined through qualitative analyses with rapid and in-depth analysis approaches. RESULTS: Analyses from stakeholder input identified themes including a need for reliable, trustworthy, and evidence-based content, personalization, options for feedback, behavioral tracking, and self-assessment/registration as factors to include in the intervention. Evidence-based intervention content development resulted in one face-to-face introduction session and 9 app-based educational and exercise-based modules. Usability testing provided further insight into how to optimize the design of the intervention to the user group, identifying accessibility and a simple design to be essential. CONCLUSIONS: The design and development process of eHealth interventions should strive to combine well-known evidence-based concepts with stakeholder input. This study, designing and developing the pain management intervention EPIO, illustrates how a stakeholder-centered design approach can provide essential input in the development of an eHealth self-management intervention for people with chronic pain. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03705104; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03705104.

Pain Management In Pediatric Patients With Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome: Current Insights.

Pediatric patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) often present with co-occurring struggles with chronic pain (POTS+pain) that may limit daily activities. POTS is a clinical syndrome characterized by orthostatic symptoms and excessive postural tachycardia without orthostatic hypotension. Active research from the medical and scientific community has led to controversy over POTS diagnosis and treatment, yet patients continue to present with symptoms associated with POTS+pain, making treatment recommendations critical. This topical review examines the literature on diagnosing and treating pediatric POTS+pain and the challenges clinicians face. Most importantly, clinicians must employ an interdisciplinary team approach to determine the ideal combination of pharmacologic (e.g., fludrocortisone), non-pharmacologic (e.g., physical therapy, integrative medicine), and psychological (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy, psychoeducation) treatment approaches that acknowledge the complexity of the child's condition, while simultaneously tailoring these approaches to the child's personal needs. We provide recommendations for treatment for youth with POTS+pain based on the current literature.

Improving Distress and Behaviors for Parents of Adolescents With Chronic Pain Enrolled in an Intensive Interdisciplinary Pain Program.

OBJECTIVES: Intensive interdisciplinary treatment is emerging as an effective treatment of chronic pain in youth. These programs often include a parental component with the belief that targeting parental distress and responses to a child's pain will improve outcomes. However, few studies have evaluated the impact of a parental intervention in the interdisciplinary treatment of pediatric chronic pain. The present study consists of a nonrandomized pre-post design to evaluate change in psychological and behavioral functioning of parents who participated in intensive parent programming that utilized cognitive-behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy, delivered within the context of an interdisciplinary intensive 3-week pain treatment program for youth with chronic pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred twelve parents and their children participated in the study, with 116 participants completing 3-month follow-up measures. Parents completed measures of depressive symptoms, pain catastrophizing, protective responses, and psychological flexibility at admission, discharge, and 3 months after the program. Child functional disability was assessed at the same time points. We examined change in parent factors over time, while controlling for change in child distress. RESULTS: Parents reported significant improvements in all areas of functioning from admission to discharge and improvements were maintained at 3-month follow-up. DISCUSSION: This study provides evidence suggesting parent interventions can be effective in reducing parent distress and behaviors known to be associated with child outcomes.

Youth with Chronic Pain and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS): Treatment Mediators of Improvement in Functional Disability.

Intensive pain rehabilitation programs are effective in increasing functioning for youth with chronic pain (CP). However, the utility of such programs for youth with CP and co-morbid postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is rarely examined. In addition, studies examining mediators of treatment for CP are sparse. This paper compares treatment outcomes for youth with CP (n = 117) and youth with CP + POTS (n = 118). Additionally, depression and pain catastrophizing were tested as potential mediators of treatment effects. Significant treatment improvements were found for functional disability, depression, pain catastrophizing, and perceived pain intensity but with no differences between groups. Improvements in depressed mood, pain catastrophizing (helplessness subscale), and pain severity partially mediated functioning improvement. Pain severity was not a significant mediator in the CP + POTS group. We concluded that depression and pain catastrophizing, especially the helplessness domain, can impact functioning improvement in adolescents with CP and POTS and are particularly important to target in treatment.

Executive Functioning in Pediatric Chronic Pain: Do Deficits Exist?

Objective: Despite ample research documenting deficits in executive functioning for adults with chronic pain, the literature on pediatric patients with chronic pain is limited and provides mixed results. The current study sought to further investigate the nature of executive dysfunction in this population and also examine the relationships between pain intensity, duration, and catastrophizing with sustained attention, working memory, and self- and parent-report of executive functioning. Settings: Pediatric pain clinic and rehabilitation program. Participants: Forty adolescents with chronic pain and their parents participated in this study. Methods: Participants completed neuropsychological measures and standardized self-report questionnaires during a 45- to 60-minute testing session. Results: Fifty percent of this sample of adolescents with chronic pain demonstrated significant difficulties on at least one measure, with nine participants indicating difficulties on multiple measures. Pain significantly increased during the testing session. Pain variables of intensity, duration, and catastrophizing are related to sustained attention and working memory. Conclusions: This study adds support to previous findings suggesting subclinical struggles with executive functioning for adolescents with chronic pain. One-half of the sample indicated difficulties in either sustained attention and/or working memory. Future studies that would more thoroughly examine more complex executive functioning skills in this population would be helpful to further guide multidisciplinary treatment of these patients, particularly regarding whether or not school accommodations are warranted.

Development of an Interdisciplinary Pediatric Pain Rehabilitation Program: The First 1000 Consecutive Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the development of a clinically and financially successful interdisciplinary pediatric pain rehabilitation program at a large tertiary academic medical center and present demographic and clinical information on the first 1000 patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients who were consecutively admitted to this program between October 1, 2008, and March 31, 2015 were included in this review. The patients ranged in age from 9 to 24 years. The program is a 3-week, hospital-based outpatient treatment program that requires substantial parental involvement. At admission and discharge, patients completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies of Depression Scale for Children, the Functional Disability Inventory, and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale for Children. Opioid use was also assessed. RESULTS: At admission, patients reported substantial pain-associated disability and depressive symptoms; they had elevated pain catastrophizing scores, and 16% were taking opioids. Primary sites/types of pain included head, abdomen, and generalized. Functional disability scores decreased significantly, from 27 to 9 after the program (P<.001). Depression scale scores improved from 27 to 14 (P<.001). Pain catastrophizing scores decreased significantly, from 26 to 14 (P<.001), at discharge from the program. All but 4 patients successfully tapered off of all opioid use by the conclusion of the program. CONCLUSION: Participation in a multidisciplinary pediatric pain rehabilitation program can be successful, with significant decreases in disability, depression symptoms, and pain catastrophizing, as well as discontinuation of opioid use.

Pain Assessment Methods and Interventions Used by Pediatric Psychologists: A Survey by the Pain Special Interest Group of the Society of Pediatric Psychology.

Although many valid pain-related assessment instruments and interventions exist, little is known about which are actually utilized in practice and the factors that contribute to pediatric psychologist's decisions about their use. The aim of this survey study was to present a summary of current clinical practice among pediatric psychologists in the area of pediatric pain and to identify the needs and possible resources that would enable practitioners to better implement evidence-based assessments and interventions. To accomplish this aim, the Pain Special Interest Group of the Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP) constructed an online survey that was sent electronically to current members of the SPP list serve. Results indicated the majority of participants are guided by a theoretical model and are using evidence-based assessments and interventions, although they are not always familiar with the literature supporting their use. Providers noted evidence-based pain intervention is facilitated by assessment tools, intervention resources, and appreciation of pain interventions by multidisciplinary team members. Barriers are both logistical (clinic space and time constraints) and knowledge-based (lack of familiarity with assessments/interventions). Thus, while pediatric psychologists are progressing towards better translation of research to practice, continued educational efforts and communication among practitioners about available resources are warranted.

Parental Perceptions of Pediatric Pain and POTS-Related Disability.

Adolescents with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) often have pain and functional impairment. This study evaluated how parental attributions of children's symptoms relate to child functional impairment. Adolescents with chronic pain and clinical symptoms suggestive of autonomic dysfunction (fatigue, dizziness, nausea) that attended a multidisciplinary chronic pain clinic completed measures of depression, anxiety, and functioning (n = 141). Parents of 114 of these patients completed the Parent Pain Attribution Questionnaire (PPAQ), a measure indicating the extent they believe physical and psychosocial factors account for their child's health condition. Patients were retrospectively grouped as to whether or not they had significant POTS on tilt table testing (n = 37). Greater parental attribution to physical causes was associated with increased levels of functional disability whether patients had POTS ( r = 0.45, P = .006) or not ( r = 0.25, P = .03). These results suggest that providers should advocate a more comprehensive family-oriented rehabilitative approach to treatment.

Getting Back to Living: Further Evidence for the Efficacy of an Interdisciplinary Pediatric Pain Treatment Program.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined key functional outcomes following a 3-week interdisciplinary pediatric pain rehabilitation program for adolescents with chronic pain. Maintenance of gains was evaluated at 3-month follow-up. METHODS: Participants included 171 adolescents (12 to 18 y of age) with chronic pain who completed a hospital-based outpatient pediatric pain rehabilitation program. Participants completed measures of functional disability, depressive symptoms, pain catastrophizing, opioid use, school attendance, and pain severity at admission, discharge, and at 3-month follow-up. RESULTS: Similar to other interdisciplinary pediatric pain rehabilitation program outcome studies, significant improvements were observed at the end of the program. These improvements appeared to be maintained or further improved at 3-month follow-up. Nearly 14% of the patients were taking daily opioid medication at admission to the program. All adolescents were completely tapered off of these medications at the end of the 3-week program and remained abstinent at 3-month follow-up. DISCUSSION: This study adds to the available data supporting interdisciplinary pediatric pain rehabilitation as effective in improving functioning and psychological distress even when discontinuing opioids. Implications for future research and limitations of the study are discussed.