Pain in cerebral palsy: the relation of coping strategies to adjustment

Abstract

Pain is a serious secondary problem for many persons with cerebral palsy (CP). Cognitive–behavioral models of pain hypothesize that how patients cope with painful episodes plays an important role in their adjustment to chronic pain. The utility of this model, however, has never been tested in persons with CP-related pain. Fifty adults with CP and chronic pain were interviewed to assess pain experience, the interference of pain on activities (BPI), depressive symptoms (CES-D), and coping strategies used for the pain (CSQ and CPCI). The results indicated that pain-contingent rest and catastrophizing were both significantly associated with pain interference and depressive symptoms even when controlling for pain severity. These findings support a cognitive–behavioral model of chronic pain as it might be applied to persons with CP. The results also support the need for research to determine if, and to what extent, cognitive–behavioral interventions that provide training in specific coping responses reduce depressive symptoms and pain interference in persons with CP.