The Role of Catastrophizing in Pediatric Migraine
BOSTON — Concordance or discordance in pain catastrophizing between parents and children may impact pain coping in children with migraine, according to a study presented by Grace Tunning, a graduate research assistant at Tufts University, as part of the “Future of Headache Medicine” series at the 59th annual scientific meeting of the American Headache Society.
The role of pain catastrophizing is well supported by research and is an important construct in understanding children’s experiences with chronic headache and informing possible responses to treatments. The goal of the study led by Ms Tunning was to examine the concordance and discordance between parent and child levels of catastrophizing in a sample of children and adolescents with migraine. Pain catastrophizing is a significant psychological construct in pediatric chronic pain and headache. However, little research has focused on the parent-child dyad as a unit, noted Ms Tunning.