Peer Victimization, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, and Chronic Pain: A Longitudinal Examination.

Chronic pain and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms (PTSS) co-occur at high rates in youth and are linked to worse pain outcomes and quality of life. While peer victimization has been posited as a mechanism underlying the PTSS-pain relationship in youth, empirical evidence suggests that it may exacerbate both PTSS and pain. The present study aimed to longitudinally examine PTSS as a mediator in the relationship between peer victimization at baseline and pain-related outcomes at 3 months in youth with chronic pain. Participants included 182 youth aged 10 to 18 years recruited from a tertiary-level children's hospital in Western Canada. At baseline, participants completed measures to assess pain (intensity and interference), peer victimization (relational and overt), and PTSS. The pain was reassessed at a 3-month follow-up. Primary hypotheses were tested utilizing a series of mediation analyses with PTSS as a proposed mediator in the associations between peer victimization and pain outcomes. Youth PTSS mediated the relationship between higher baseline relational victimization and higher 3-month pain interference while controlling for baseline pain interference. Three-month pain intensity was not correlated with peer victimization; thus, pain intensity was not included in the analyses. These findings reveal that PTSS may be an underlying factor in the co-occurrence of peer victimization and chronic pain in youth. Further research is needed to better understand the role of peer victimization in the maintenance of chronic pain to ensure appropriate, effective, and timely interventions that address the social and mental health issues impacting the lives of these youth as well as their pain. PERSPECTIVE: PTSS may be an underlying factor in the co-occurrence between peer victimization and chronic pain in youth, highlighting the need to assess for both peer relationship problems and PTSS in youth with chronic pain.

The Use of Conductive Lycra Fabric in the Prototype Design of a Wearable Device to Monitor Physiological Signals.

Wearable technology has become commonplace for the measurement of heart rate, steps taken, and monitoring exercise regimes. However, wearables can also be used to enable or enhance the lives of persons living with disabilities. This paper discusses the design of a wearable device that aims to facilitate the assessment of physiological signals using conductive Lycra fabric. The device will be applicable for daily use within diverse contexts including the evaluation of emotional experiences of children with Severe Motor and Communication Impairment and the detection of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in children with Down Syndrome. The Lycra fabric sensors are used to acquire electrocardiographic signals, galvanic skin response, and respiratory signals. Articulated design requirements include constraints related to the ability to fit children of all sizes, and meeting medical device standards and biocompatibility, and criteria related to low costs, comfortability, and maintainability. Upon prototyping and preliminary testing, this device was found to offer an affordable, comfortable, and accessible solution to the monitoring of physiological signals. Clinical Relevance- This research provides initial knowledge and momentum towards an affordable wearable device using conductive Lycra to effectively monitor and assess physiological signals in children with disabilities.