The role of pain catastrophizing and parenting factors in predicting disability in a clinical sample youth with chronic abdominal pain

Abstract

Chronic abdominal pain (CAP) is a highly prevalent pediatric condition that results in functional disability including decreased involvement in social, academic, and daily activities. Child pain catastrophizing, or an exaggerated negative outlook during pain, has been shown to predict which youth with CAP evidence the greatest levels of impairment. Social factors also play a role in predicting disability, namely parental responses to pain such as overprotection or criticism. The combined influence of these factors in predicting functional disability in youth with CAP is not well-known.