ABSTRACT:Self-report is the gold standard for assessing pain intensity, although the method of acquiring pain reports may influence the ratings obtained. Retrospective reports of pain intensity are often found to be elevated relative to daily diary reports, possibly due to recall bias and the influence of psychosocial factors on memory. In this study, we sought to examine differences between retrospective reporting of average pain intensity in the past week vs averaged daily diary reporting of pain intensity in a sample of adolescents with juvenile fibromyalgia (JFM). We also sought to determine the predictive effects of pain catastrophizing, functional disability, and depressive symptoms on discrepancies between retrospective and daily diary report. As part of a randomized controlled trial, 317 adolescents with JFM (Mage = 15.7, SD = 1.6, 88.4% female) completed daily diary and one-week retrospective pain intensity measures, the Children's Depression Inventory-2, Functional Disability Inventory, and Pain Catastrophizing Scale at baseline, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up. We examined the predictive effects of psychosocial factors on mean differences between averaged daily and one-week retrospective reports of pain intensity. Retrospective reports of pain intensity were significantly higher than diary reports across time. A longitudinal multiple linear regression model showed that the magnitude of discrepancies between daily diary and retrospective reports was not significantly predicted by functional disability, depressive symptoms, or pain catastrophizing. These findings raise the possibility that other factors such as cognitive biases (eg, threat interpretation, saliency, recency bias) may play a larger role than psychosocial factors in explaining pain reporting discrepancies.

INTRODUCTION:Pediatric chronic pain is linked to higher school absenteeism, academic struggles, and social stressors, which may further exacerbate pain. Stress is thought to be a key mechanism in this relationship. This study tested whether psychological stress mediates the association between chronic pain and school functioning. METHODS:Adolescents with chronic pain (ACP) at a tertiary hospital in the northeastern United States and adolescents without chronic pain (AWCP) completed self-report measures of psychological stress and school functioning. Analyses included t tests, Spearman's correlations, and mediation models controlling for age, gender, and race. RESULTS:The sample comprised 488 adolescents (63.11% female, M age =16.05, SD=1.23): 274 (56.14%) ACP and 214 (43.85%) AWCP. ACP reported significantly higher psychological stress ( P <0.001) and greater school-related interpersonal discomfort ( P =0.013) com p ared to AWCP. After covariate adjustment, the difference in interpersonal discomfort was no longer significant. Psychological stress correlated with poorer school functioning across all subscales ( r =0.4-0.52, P < 0.05). In the mediation model, chronic pain strongly predicted higher stress (a=9.70, P <0.001), stress predicted poorer school functioning (b=0.99, P <0.001), and the indirect effect was large and statistically significant (ab=9.62, 95% CI [7.06,12.45], P <0.001). After accounting for stress, the direct link between chronic pain and school functioning became negative and statistically significant (c'=-12.61, 95% CI [-16.09,-9.13], P <0.001), while the total effect remained not statistically significant (c=-2.99, P =0.14), consistent with a suppression pattern. DISCUSSION:Psychological stress mediates the relationship between chronic pain and school functioning. Interventions targeting stress may improve school outcomes for adolescents with chronic pain even if pain symptoms persist.

Objective:Intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT), a promising approach to pediatric chronic pain treatment, focuses on functional restoration through the adoption of pain self-management. Few studies have examined the impact of motivational interviewing (MI) on preparing youth for IIPT. The Promoting Readiness and Engagement in Pain Rehabilitation (PREPaRe) intervention aims to improve IIPT efficiency and outcomes through increasing readiness to engage in pain self-management before admission.Methods:This randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigated the effects of PREPaRe on youth and caregiver readiness to change before IIPT admission, as well as secondary pain-related and functional outcomes at IIPT discharge, including length of stay. Youth and caregivers (n=78 dyads) were randomized to receive PREPaRe alongside standard medical care (SMC) or SMC alone.Results:Readiness ratings (eg, willingness, importance, confidence, awareness) for youth and caregivers receiving PREPaRe significantly improved over time. However, pre-IIPT comparisons of PREPaRe versus SMC revealed main effects for time but no interactions for youth/caregiver pain acceptance and stage of change. Similarly, post-IIPT group comparisons revealed main effects for time (again, no interactions) for youth pain intensity, interference, and disability, and caregiver protective behaviors, catastrophizing, and fear. Importantly, length of IIPT admission was significantly shorter for PREPaRe versus SMC.Discussion:Results of this clinical trial (NCT04093921) show potential promise for PREPaRe in positioning youth and families for increased readiness and more efficient success in IIPT. Future research should seek to replicate these findings, explore PREPaRe in diverse clinical contexts and demographic groups, and identify who might benefit most from the intervention.

OBJECTIVE:Intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT), a promising approach to pediatric chronic pain treatment, focuses on functional restoration through the adoption of pain self-management. Few studies have examined the impact of motivational interviewing (MI) on preparing youth for IIPT. The Promoting Readiness and Engagement in Pain Rehabilitation (PREPaRe) intervention aims to improve IIPT efficiency and outcomes through increasing readiness to engage in pain self-management before admission. METHODS:This randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigated the effects of PREPaRe on youth and caregiver readiness to change before IIPT admission, as well as secondary pain-related and functional outcomes at IIPT discharge, including length of stay. Youth and caregivers (n=78 dyads) were randomized to receive PREPaRe alongside standard medical care (SMC) or SMC alone. RESULTS:Readiness ratings (eg, willingness, importance, confidence, awareness) for youth and caregivers receiving PREPaRe significantly improved over time. However, pre-IIPT comparisons of PREPaRe versus SMC revealed main effects for time but no interactions for youth/caregiver pain acceptance and stage of change. Similarly, post-IIPT group comparisons revealed main effects for time (again, no interactions) for youth pain intensity, interference, and disability, and caregiver protective behaviors, catastrophizing, and fear. Importantly, length of IIPT admission was significantly shorter for PREPaRe versus SMC. DISCUSSION:Results of this clinical trial (NCT04093921) show potential promise for PREPaRe in positioning youth and families for increased readiness and more efficient success in IIPT. Future research should seek to replicate these findings, explore PREPaRe in diverse clinical contexts and demographic groups, and identify who might benefit most from the intervention.

ABSTRACT:Juvenile fibromyalgia (JFM) is a complex and disabling chronic pain condition for which treatment options are limited. The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to compare the relative efficacy of 3 group-based interventions: cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) alone, graded aerobic exercise (GAE) alone, or CBT combined with specialized neuromuscular exercise (Fibromyalgia Integrative Training [FIT] Teens), in reducing pain-related disability for adolescents with JFM. Patients with JFM (ages 12-17) who experienced moderate-to-severe pain and pain-related disability were eligible. A total of 317 adolescents (86.4% girls, 84.2% White, mean age 15.8 years) were randomized to receive 8 weeks (16 sessions) of CBT (N = 110), GAE (N = 104), or FIT Teens (N = 103), followed by 4 booster sessions. Our primary hypothesis that the FIT Teens intervention would be superior to CBT or GAE was not supported. Rather, participants in all treatments showed significant reduction in disability with no differences between groups at the 3-month primary endpoint (main effect estimate = -3·94 [95% CI: -6·62 to -1·26]) and at 6-, 9-, and 12-month follow-up (main effect estimate = -4·52 [95% CI: -7·35 to -1·68]; -4·21 [95% CI: -7·13 to -1·29]; and -4·76 [95% CI: -7·84 to -1·68], respectively). Pain intensity was significantly improved at 9- and 12-month follow-up. Although the overall magnitude of improvement in disability was small, approximately 1 in 4 patients in the FIT and CBT groups had clinically remarkable improvement. Cognitive-behavioral and exercise-based treatments are promising for the management of JFM. Further research is needed to examine the characteristics of treatment responders and the mechanisms of improvement.

This feasibility study explored the integration of physiological monitoring into a virtual reality (VR) intervention for pediatric pain management. The goal of this study is to identify a feasible strategy for collecting physiologic data in the context of a VR intervention currently being developed for youth with chronic pain. We assess the potential of Cognitive Load (CL)—derived from heart rate and pupillometry/eye-tracking data—as a marker of arousal and user engagement in a VR simulation to promote school functioning in youth with chronic pain. The HP Reverb G2 Omnicept headset and Polar H10 heart-rate sensor were utilized. The Child Presence Questionnaire (CPQ) assessed participants’ self-reported immersion and engagement. Data collection focused on feasibility and utility of physiologic data in assessing arousal and correlations with self-reported experience. Nine participants engaged in the simulation, with eight yielding complete data. The simulation and headset were well tolerated. CPQ Transportation subscale showed trend-level correlation with mean CL. Due to small sample and feasibility focus, individual-level results were examined. Combining multiple physiologic markers into a construct like CL is intriguing, but data interpretability was limited. Pupillometry and related metrics show promise as feasible markers of engagement and arousal for VR-based intervention but require appropriate expertise to fully interpret. The study found that integration of physiologic monitoring is feasible, but further work is needed to standardize metrics and identify the most useful and user-friendly markers.

OBJECTIVE:School refusal is a longstanding difficulty for youth with chronic pain. Yet, research is hindered by a lack of adequate measurement tools to assess and describe the complex interpersonal and system-level factors contributing to school refusal. This study investigates the utility of the SChool REfusal EvaluatioN (SCREEN) measure and its psychometric properties in a sample of youth with chronic pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Youth undergoing multidisciplinary evaluation at outpatient pain clinics completed self and parent-report questionnaires. Descriptive data examined school refusal. Internal consistency and construct validity were tested. Multiple regressions examined the parent and child factors related to school refusal. RESULTS:In all, 698 youth with chronic pain participated. Two-thirds reported symptoms suggesting at-risk or clinically significant symptoms of school refusal. Cronbach alpha scores were in the acceptable to good range on the SCREEN. Convergent validity for the interpersonal discomfort subscale of the SCREEN was established. The child's fear of pain, stress, peer relationships, and parent protective behaviors significantly correlated with SCREEN total scores. Participants enrolled in fully in-person school during the study period reported significantly higher scores on the interpersonal discomfort scale than those enrolled in remote learning. DISCUSSION:Our results provide evidence that youth with chronic pain experience significant challenges with school functioning and offer some support for the reliability and validity of the SCREEN in a sample of youth with chronic pain, a population for which few appropriate measures of school functioning have been established. The SCREEN measure may aid in assessing school refusal, with good clinical potential to quantify risk and identify modifiable factors.

Objective:School refusal is a longstanding difficulty for youth with chronic pain. Yet, research is hindered by a lack of adequate measurement tools to assess and describe the complex interpersonal and system-level factors contributing to school refusal. This study investigates the utility of the SChool REfusal EvaluatioN (SCREEN) measure and its psychometric properties in a sample of youth with chronic pain.Materials and Methods:Youth undergoing multidisciplinary evaluation at outpatient pain clinics completed self and parent-report questionnaires. Descriptive data examined school refusal. Internal consistency and construct validity were tested. Multiple regressions examined the parent and child factors related to school refusal.Results:In all, 698 youth with chronic pain participated. Two-thirds reported symptoms suggesting at-risk or clinically significant symptoms of school refusal. Cronbach alpha scores were in the acceptable to good range on the SCREEN. Convergent validity for the interpersonal discomfort subscale of the SCREEN was established. The child's fear of pain, stress, peer relationships, and parent protective behaviors significantly correlated with SCREEN total scores. Participants enrolled in fully in-person school during the study period reported significantly higher scores on the interpersonal discomfort scale than those enrolled in remote learning.Discussion:Our results provide evidence that youth with chronic pain experience significant challenges with school functioning and offer some support for the reliability and validity of the SCREEN in a sample of youth with chronic pain, a population for which few appropriate measures of school functioning have been established. The SCREEN measure may aid in assessing school refusal, with good clinical potential to quantify risk and identify modifiable factors.

BackgroundAppropriate outcome assessment strategies and high-quality trials are critical to advancing care of patients with acute and chronic pain. Using extended reality (XR), namely, virtual and augmented reality, as a nonpharmacological treatment for pain has accelerated in the last decade. XR allows users to engage completely in immersive, gamified, sensorial digital experiences. Currently, no standardized approach to assessing outcomes of XR-based interventions for pain exists. ObjectiveOur aim was to recommend a core set of outcomes for pediatric and adult acute and chronic pain XR intervention trials. MethodsTo identify core outcomes, we conducted a multiphase process. In phase 1, we conducted systematic reviews on XR in pediatric and adult acute and chronic pain trials to identify the most common core outcome domains assessed in existing published studies. Primary outcome domains were identified and informed the development of the survey for phase 2, a Delphi survey of clinicians and researchers who were actively researching or using XR for pain treatment. Together, results from the systematic reviews and Delphi survey responses were collated, and in phase 3, a 2-day in-person meeting was held to reach consensus on recommended outcome domains for adult and pediatric acute and chronic pain XR clinical trials. This was followed by 2 additional rounds of the Delphi survey to broaden consensus and refine the domains and definitions. Following the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology guidelines for consensus building, outcomes were organized into 3 categories: mandatory, important to consider but optional, and research agenda. ResultsA systematic review including XR trials for adult and pediatric acute and chronic pain was conducted in March 2023, and 90 pediatric and 104 adult studies were included. The round 1 Delphi survey, completed by 66 respondents, revealed the following commonly measured outcomes: pain intensity or quality, distraction, anxiety or fear, satisfaction, and adverse events. Respondents indicated the following domains to be of highest importance to measure in studies: safety, feasibility, and acceptability; pain intensity or quality; pain interference or functioning; emotional functioning; and user experience or immersion. By unanimous vote at the consensus conference, pain severity, adverse events, user experience, and psychological constructs were identified as mandatory domains to be assessed in all XR trials for acute and chronic pain, with the addition of pain interference for chronic pain trials. Physiological markers and physical function were deemed important-to-consider but optional domains. Additional emerging areas for future research did not obtain sufficient support in the consensus process but were noted. ConclusionsAn established core outcome set will help strengthen the emerging evidence base supporting XR interventions for children and adults with pain. Future work is underway to provide recommendations for appropriate validated measures to assess each established outcome domain.

IntroductionMany youth with pain lack access to pediatric pain expertise. There is a critical shortage of pediatric pain physicians, due partly to a paucity of training programs in Pediatric Pain Medicine. Pain fellowships are Anesthesiology-based and there is no pathway to fellowship training or Pain Medicine board certification for pediatricians. This workforce assessment sought to examine the current state of Pediatric Pain Medicine in the United States and future interest in pursuing Pain Medicine among pediatricians.MethodsA multidisciplinary working group of Pain Medicine clinicians designed three surveys to examine pediatric comprehensive pain programs in the US, practice patterns of pediatricians and their motivations and opinions regarding Pain Medicine board certification, and current residents’ exposure to and interest in Pediatric Pain Medicine.ResultsWait times for initial evaluations are two months or longer for two-thirds of responding centers, and barriers to increase staff size and resources were reported, including an inadequate number of trained or available physicians. Pediatricians expressed interest in earning board certification in Pain Medicine, given the opportunity. Additionally, there is interest among pediatric residents in pursuing Pediatric Pain Medicine, and qualitative data highlight information residents perceived needing in order to pursue a career in the field.DiscussionResults demonstrate the need for increased training opportunities in pediatric pain medicine. A formal pathway to Pain Medicine for Pediatricians should be developed to increase the potential workforce and to address the lack of trained pediatric pain specialists, thereby improving access to care for youth with pain.

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic required intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) programs to shift to virtual models of care. This study used a multimethod approach to examine outcomes of a pediatric hybrid IIPT program (50% in-person treatment and 50% synchronous video-based telehealth) and assessed staff experiences while treating within this model. Materials and Methods: Patients (M=14.73, SD=2.04; 79% female) reported pain intensity, functional disability, and psychological factors (anxiety, depressive symptoms, fear of pain, pain catastrophizing, social functioning) at admission, discharge, and short-term follow-up. Differences in treatment outcomes at discharge and short-term follow-up between patients who participated in the hybrid IIPT model (n=42) during the pandemic and those who participated in the traditional in-person model before the pandemic (n=42) were examined. Quantitative assessments of staff burnout and perceived effort and qualitative assessments exploring staff perspectives about the challenges and advantages of the hybrid IIPT model were gathered. Results: Youth in both groups made significant improvements across the majority of treatment outcomes; however, the hybrid group reported higher levels of pain at discharge and anxiety at follow-up. The majority of IIPT staff reported moderate to high levels of overall burnout, and almost half reported high levels of emotional exhaustion. Staff highlighted various challenges and benefits associated with treating within the hybrid model. Discussion: When considering telehealth as a treatment tool for youth with complex chronic pain, it is crucial to leverage its benefits while addressing its challenges for patients and providers.

ObjectiveJuvenile fibromyalgia (JFM) is a complex chronic pain condition that remains poorly understood. The study aimed to expand the clinical characterization of JFM in a large representative sample of adolescents with JFM and identify psychological factors that predict pain interference.MethodsParticipants were 203 adolescents (ages 12–17 years) who completed baseline assessments for the multisite Fibromyalgia Integrative Training for Teens (FIT Teens) randomized control trial. Participants completed the Pain and Symptom Assessment Tool, which includes a Widespread Pain Index (WPI; 0–18 pain locations) and Symptom Severity checklist of associated somatic symptoms (SS; 0–12) based on the 2010 American College of Rheumatology criteria for fibromyalgia. Participants also completed self‐report measures of pain intensity, functional impairment, and psychological functioning.ResultsParticipants endorsed a median of 11 painful body sites (WPI score) and had a median SS score of 9. Fatigue and nonrestorative sleep were prominent features and rated as moderate to severe by 85% of participants. Additionally, neurologic, autonomic, gastroenterologic, and psychological symptoms were frequently endorsed. The WPI score was significantly correlated with pain intensity and catastrophizing, while SS scores were associated with pain intensity and all domains of physical and psychological functioning. Depressive symptoms, fatigue, and pain catastrophizing predicted severity of pain impairment.ConclusionJFM is characterized by chronic widespread pain with fatigue, nonrestorative sleep, and other somatic symptoms. However, how diffusely pain is distributed appears less important to clinical outcomes and impairment than other somatic and psychological factors, highlighting the need for a broader approach to the assessment and treatment of JFM.

OBJECTIVES:The COVID-19 pandemic required intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) programs to shift to virtual models of care. This study used a multimethod approach to examine outcomes of a pediatric hybrid IIPT program (50% in-person treatment and 50% synchronous video-based telehealth) and assessed staff experiences while treating within this model.MATERIALS AND METHODS:Patients (M=14.73, SD=2.04; 79% female) reported pain intensity, functional disability, and psychological factors (anxiety, depressive symptoms, fear of pain, pain catastrophizing, social functioning) at admission, discharge, and short-term follow-up. Differences in treatment outcomes at discharge and short-term follow-up between patients who participated in the hybrid IIPT model (n=42) during the pandemic and those who participated in the traditional in-person model before the pandemic (n=42) were examined. Quantitative assessments of staff burnout and perceived effort and qualitative assessments exploring staff perspectives about the challenges and advantages of the hybrid IIPT model were gathered.RESULTS:Youth in both groups made significant improvements across the majority of treatment outcomes; however, the hybrid group reported higher levels of pain at discharge and anxiety at follow-up. The majority of IIPT staff reported moderate to high levels of overall burnout, and almost half reported high levels of emotional exhaustion. Staff highlighted various challenges and benefits associated with treating within the hybrid model.DISCUSSION:When considering telehealth as a treatment tool for youth with complex chronic pain, it is crucial to leverage its benefits while addressing its challenges for patients and providers.

Background Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) presents with an array of symptoms that can vary from child to child, making it difficult to diagnose and differentiate from other pain conditions such as chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. Thirteen symptoms and signs are outlined in the Budapest criteria for CRPS (developed and validated for adults) but have not been well described in pediatrics. Aims The aim of this study was to describe the signs and symptoms of pediatric CRPS type 1 (CRPS 1) and determine whether a cluster of symptoms can differentiate CRPS 1 from chronic MSK pain. Methods A retrospective cohort study of pediatric patients with CRPS 1 and MSK pain in a pediatric pain program was conducted. Descriptive statistics were used to report demographics and pain characteristics. The chi-square test was used to evaluate differences in signs and symptoms between patients with CRPS and MSK pain. A logistic regression model was used to evaluate whether a cluster of symptoms could predict a diagnosis of CRPS 1. Results The sample included 187 patients (99 with CRPS 1 and 88 with MSK pain); 81% were female with a mean age 14.1 years. The most prevalent CRPS symptoms were hyperalgesia (54%) and allodynia (52%). A cluster of symptoms (hyperalgesia, color changes, and range of motion) predicted the probability of a diagnosis of CRPS 1. Conclusions A cluster of symptoms may be critical in differentiating pediatric CRPS 1 and MSK pain. Future research is needed to determine if this model is valid in external populations and to explore whether a similar model can differentiate CRPS 1 from other pain conditions (e.g., neuropathic pain).