Abstract

To examine pain self-efficacy and pain acceptance in relation to functioning in pediatric patients with chronic headache.Participants were 209 youth aged 8-17 years who presented for a multidisciplinary pediatric headache clinic evaluation. They completed measures of pain self-efficacy and pain acceptance and a standard battery of clinical measures including indicators of emotional functioning.Pain self-efficacy and acceptance were associated with less disability, better school functioning, and fewer depressive symptoms. While taking into account several demographic and pain-related variables, pain self-efficacy had a greater association with less functional disability, while pain acceptance had a greater association with less depressive symptoms and better school functioning.These findings indicate that both resilience processes can serve to positively interact with functioning and symptoms of depression. Ultimately, this study suggests that higher levels of pain self-efficacy and pain acceptance in an individual experiencing pain are associated with more positive outcomes.

View details for DOI 10.1093/jpepsy/jsu091

View details for Web of Science ID 000363215600010

View details for PubMedID 25324532