Examining the Association Between Parental Stress Related to Child Illness and Child Pain Across Acupuncture Treatments

Abstract

Abstract Background: Pediatric chronic pain not only affects the child but also has a ripple effect on the entire family. While several studies have shown that acupuncture is beneficial for decreasing pain intensity in adults, few studies have examined the effectiveness of acupuncture in children and adolescence as well as the impact of acupuncture on the association between parent stress and child pain. Objective: This study examined whether two acupuncture treatments may help reduce child pain and parent stress as well as examining the bidirectional relationship between parent stress and child pain across the two treatments. Design: The study was a pre/post test design. Participants completed the Pediatric Inventory for Parents and Faces Pain Scale-Revised at baseline and at the conclusion of the second acupuncture treatment (at Time 2). Setting: Participants were recruited from a pain clinic at an academic pediatric hospital. Patients: Parent–child dyads (N=29; Mage=14.13; standard deviation=2.43) part...