Leistungsmotivation bei Kindern mit Migräne und ihren gesunden Geschwistern

Abstract

Psychosocial variables like stress or a high achievement motivation are discussed as a possible contributory factor to an attack in migraine. The aim of our study was to examine, whether children with migraine may be at risk for impaired achievement motivation. 37 children with migraine and their 17 non-affected siblings, were examined by means of an especially developed test for achievement motivation and by the Kaufman-Assessment-Battery for Children (K-ABC). There were no significant differences in achievement motivation and cognition between both groups. Children with migraine and their siblings demonstrated a neurocognitive performance within the average normal test range. There was a slight positive correlation between an atypical achievement motivation and the duration of migraine attacks. In general there are no signs of a pathologically elevated achievement motivation in children with migraine, but we found evidence that there might be a subgroup of patients, within whom an atypical achievement motivation might serve as a trigger variable, and who might profit from relaxation techniques and psychological-educational counselling.