Pain reactivity and somatization in kindergarten-age children.

Abstract

To evaluate predictors of somatization and pain reactivity in childhood. Facial expressions of children undergoing inoculation were scored for pain reactivity. Measures of temperament, pain experience, pain models, parental behavior, and parental ability to decode pain were examined for their ability to predict pain reactivity and somatization in a structural modeling analysis. Pain reactivity was associated positively with parental reports of their child's somatization. Child temperament, previous negative experiences with medical procedures, and maternal responses to their children's pain were positively associated with pain reactivity. Temperament and pain experience may play a role in children's pain reactivity, and reactivity may contribute to the development of somatization. Although the model that guided the analysis proved to be a reasonable description of the outcomes, several anticipated relationships were not significant. We discuss implications for a refined model of somatization and for early identification and prevention.