Abstract
BackgroundAlthough the context of parenting has been incorporated into psychosocial pain research, very little attention has been paid to how parenting styles influence chronic pain in adolescents. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of self-esteem, emotional intelligence, and psychological distress in the association between parenting styles and chronic pain.MethodSeven hundred and thirty nine adolescents and their parents participated in this study. To identify adolescents with chronic pain, screening questions based on the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases were used. Baumrind parenting style questionnaire was used to assess the parenting style (permissive, authoritarian, and authoritative parenting styles). The structural equation modelling (SEM) was carried out in M-Plus version 6 to evaluate the direct, indirect, and total effects of different parenting styles on chronic pain.ResultsThe results in the SEM models revealed that only the indirect paths from authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles to pain through emotional intelligence (βauthoritative = − 0.003, 95% CI = − 0.008 to − 0.003; βauthoritarian = 0.001, 95% CI = 0.001 to 0.003) and psychological distress (βauthoritative = − 0.010, 95% CI = − 0.021 to − 0.004; βauthoritarian = 0.008, 95% CI = 0.004 to 0.016) were significant. Indirect paths from permissive style to pain and the mediating role of self-esteem were not significant.DiscussionEmotional intelligence and psychological distress significantly mediated the effects of authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles on chronic pain. The current results support the notion that interventions targeting effective parent–adolescent communication may be an important part of chronic pain management in adolescents. Moreover, the results provide rationale for targeting emotional intelligence and psychological distress in adolescents by explicitly teaching effective communication skills, expressing opinions and minds, and emotion regulation strategies.
Highlights
The context of parenting has been incorporated into psychosocial pain research, very little attention has been paid to how parenting styles influence chronic pain in adolescents
The results in the structural equation modelling (SEM) models revealed that only the indirect paths from authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles to pain through emotional intelligence and psychological distress were significant
The current results support the notion that interventions targeting effective parent–adolescent communication may be an important part of chronic pain management in adolescents
Summary
The context of parenting has been incorporated into psychosocial pain research, very little attention has been paid to how parenting styles influence chronic pain in adolescents. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of self-esteem, emotional intelligence, and psychological distress in the association between parenting styles and chronic pain. It is pain that persists or recurs for longer than 3 months and is associated with significant emotional distress and functional disability [3]. Shaygan et al BMC Psychology (2021) 9:201 of adolescents reported weekly chronic pain in at least two sites [1]. According to the biopsychosocial model, chronic pain is never a mere sensory perception but is a complex biopsychosocial condition that is affected by a wide range of psychosocial factors [6]. We should think of those factors which are associated with chronic pain and the way they influence pain development in adolescents to effectively prevent the development of chronic pain in this population
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