Existing research identifying factors associated with frequent hospitalizations for pain crises among children with sickle cell disease (SCD) is sparse. Among adults with SCD, frequent health care utilization has been linked with greater pain severity, more pain-related distress, and increased somatization. This study tested the relationship between these, as well as other psychosocial variables, and hospitalization for pain in 73 children with SCD (mean age = 13.4 years; 40 girls). Based upon parent report of the number of hospitalizations for pain in the prior year, children were categorized into high (3+) vs. low (0-2) hospitalization groups. The high (n = 18; 24.7%) and the low (n = 55; 75.3%) hospitalization groups did not differ with regard to age, sex or race/ethnicity (African-American vs. Latino). Children completed questionnaires assessing overall pain during the past month (0-100 electronic Visual Analog Scale; eVAS), somatization (Children's Somatization Inventory), catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale for Children; PCS-C), and emotion regulation (Emotion Regulation Questionnaire – Child/Adolescent Version; ERQ-CA). The PCS-C consisted of three subscales: magnification, rumination, and helplessness. The ERQ-CA consisted of two subscales: emotional suppression and reappraisal. A series of one-way ANOVAs indicated that compared to the low hospitalization group, the high hospitalization group reported more overall pain during the past month (p<.04), more somatization (p<.01), more emotional suppression (p<.02), and higher rumination scores (p <.03). The results indicate that children with SCD who are frequently hospitalized for pain report more overall pain and somatic awareness, and are more prone to ruminate as well as to suppress their negative emotions, compared to children who are hospitalized less frequently. Targeted efforts should be made to address pain, somatization, rumination, and emotion dysregulation in children with SCD who demonstrate a pattern of frequent hospitalizations for pain crises. Existing research identifying factors associated with frequent hospitalizations for pain crises among children with sickle cell disease (SCD) is sparse. Among adults with SCD, frequent health care utilization has been linked with greater pain severity, more pain-related distress, and increased somatization. This study tested the relationship between these, as well as other psychosocial variables, and hospitalization for pain in 73 children with SCD (mean age = 13.4 years; 40 girls). Based upon parent report of the number of hospitalizations for pain in the prior year, children were categorized into high (3+) vs. low (0-2) hospitalization groups. The high (n = 18; 24.7%) and the low (n = 55; 75.3%) hospitalization groups did not differ with regard to age, sex or race/ethnicity (African-American vs. Latino). Children completed questionnaires assessing overall pain during the past month (0-100 electronic Visual Analog Scale; eVAS), somatization (Children's Somatization Inventory), catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale for Children; PCS-C), and emotion regulation (Emotion Regulation Questionnaire – Child/Adolescent Version; ERQ-CA). The PCS-C consisted of three subscales: magnification, rumination, and helplessness. The ERQ-CA consisted of two subscales: emotional suppression and reappraisal. A series of one-way ANOVAs indicated that compared to the low hospitalization group, the high hospitalization group reported more overall pain during the past month (p<.04), more somatization (p<.01), more emotional suppression (p<.02), and higher rumination scores (p <.03). The results indicate that children with SCD who are frequently hospitalized for pain report more overall pain and somatic awareness, and are more prone to ruminate as well as to suppress their negative emotions, compared to children who are hospitalized less frequently. Targeted efforts should be made to address pain, somatization, rumination, and emotion dysregulation in children with SCD who demonstrate a pattern of frequent hospitalizations for pain crises.