Abstract
Active components of psychological intervention for RAP remain unclear. This study involved completing interviews about parental experience of psychological intervention for RAP to ascertain how and why psychological intervention can be effective. Difficulty making sense of RAP and barriers to treatment were identified as struggles. Acceptance and containment were key overlapping mechanisms, which allowed families to develop a changed relationship with the pain and manage the impact of pain. To further develop interventions, the role of containment should be considered and acceptance-based interventions explored, given the growing evidence base in this area. Practical implications of this research are also discussed.
Highlights
Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) is a condition frequently seen in paediatric settings and is associated with impairment in the everyday life of children and their families (Abbott et al, 2017)
RAP can persist into adulthood, which can lead to chronic pain, anxiety, depression and other significant impacts upon quality of life (QOL) (Abbott et al, 2017)
As parental stress and anxiety has been highlighted as a potential precipitator to RAP, it appears that difficulty making sense of RAP can perpetuate the occurrence of pain, and as discussed, a focus on finding medical explanations can lead to barriers in seeking and accessing psychological intervention (Newton et al, 2019)
Summary
Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) is a condition frequently seen in paediatric settings and is associated with impairment in the everyday life of children and their families (Abbott et al, 2017). To diagnose RAP, the abdominal pain must be present for at least 2 months and occur at least four times per month. It must not meet criteria for medical conditions or physiological events (Schmulson and Drossman, 2017). Following potential medical causes being investigated, a diagnosis of RAP is frequently given where no physical explanation for the pain has been identified (Paul and Candy, 2013). Families can view referrals to psychology as ‘failure’ to find explanation for the pain, which in turn can be interpreted as determining physical versus psychological causes or a pain being real or imaginary (Masia-Warner et al, 2009)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
