Clinical characteristics of treatment-seeking youth with misophonia.

OBJECTIVE: Misophonia is a psychiatric condition characterized by strong emotional and/or behavioral responses to auditory stimuli, leading to distress and functional impairment. Despite previous attempts to define and categorize this condition, misophonia is not currently included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or International Classification of Diseases. The lack of formal diagnostic consensus presents challenges for research aimed at assessing and treating this clinical presentation. METHODS: The current study presents clinical characteristics of youth (N = 47) with misophonia in the largest treatment-seeking sample to date. We examined demographic characteristics of the sample, frequency of comorbid disorders, frequency of specific misophonia symptoms (i.e., triggers, emotional and behavioral responses, and impairments), and caregiver-child symptom agreement. Misophonia symptoms were evaluated using a multimodal assessment including clinician, youth, and caregiver reports on empirically established misophonia measures, and concordance among measures was assessed. RESULTS: Youth seeking treatment for misophonia presented with marked misophonia symptoms and an array of comorbid conditions. Youth and caregivers identified various triggers of misophonia symptoms (e.g., chewing sounds, breathing sounds), as well as a wide range of emotional (e.g., anger, annoyance, disgust) and behavioral (e.g., aggression, avoidance) responses to triggers. Youth and caregivers exhibited high agreement on misophonia triggers but lower agreement on symptom severity and associated impairment. Compared to younger children (aged 8-13), older children (aged 14+) appeared to report symptom severity and associated impairment more reliably. CONCLUSION: Misophonia is a heterogenous and impairing clinical condition that warrants future investigation and evidence-based treatment development.

Perceived worsening of obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms after childbirth in women and men: An understudied phenomenon.

The aim of this study was to examine worsening of OCD symptoms after childbirth in individuals seeking assessment or treatment of OCD. The postpartum period may make parents biologically and psychologically vulnerable to OCD symptoms. Participants included 222 parents with OCD who completed surveys through a self-help website. Most women and almost half of men with self-reported OCD reported an increase in OCD symptoms following childbirth. Retrospective report of perceived worsening of OCD symptoms after childbirth was associated with more aggressive obsessions for both men and women, in comparison to individuals whose OCD symptoms did not worsen around childbirth. Women whose OCD symptoms worsened after childbirth reported more impairment in social functioning than individuals whose symptoms did not worsen. These results highlight the need to develop a better understanding of aggressive obsessions in parents, and improve education about prevalence, content, assessment, and intervention for aggression-focused intrusive thoughts.

Latin American Trans-ancestry INitiative for OCD genomics (LATINO): Study protocol.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating psychiatric disorder. Worldwide, its prevalence is ~2% and its etiology is mostly unknown. Identifying biological factors contributing to OCD will elucidate underlying mechanisms and might contribute to improved treatment outcomes. Genomic studies of OCD are beginning to reveal long-sought risk loci, but >95% of the cases currently in analysis are of homogenous European ancestry. If not addressed, this Eurocentric bias will result in OCD genomic findings being more accurate for individuals of European ancestry than other ancestries, thereby contributing to health disparities in potential future applications of genomics. In this study protocol paper, we describe the Latin American Trans-ancestry INitiative for OCD genomics (LATINO, https://www.latinostudy.org). LATINO is a new network of investigators from across Latin America, the United States, and Canada who have begun to collect DNA and clinical data from 5000 richly phenotyped OCD cases of Latin American ancestry in a culturally sensitive and ethical manner. In this project, we will utilize trans-ancestry genomic analyses to accelerate the identification of OCD risk loci, fine-map putative causal variants, and improve the performance of polygenic risk scores in diverse populations. We will also capitalize on rich clinical data to examine the genetics of treatment response, biologically plausible OCD subtypes, and symptom dimensions. Additionally, LATINO will help elucidate the diversity of the clinical presentations of OCD across cultures through various trainings developed and offered in collaboration with Latin American investigators. We believe this study will advance the important goal of global mental health discovery and equity.

COVID-19-related intrusive thoughts and associated ritualistic behaviors.

This study evaluated COVID-19-related intrusive thoughts and associated ritualistic behaviors (CITRB). From March to May 2020, 1,118 Chinese high school students, college students, psychiatric outpatients, and community members completed a survey assessing CITRB, generalized anxiety, depression, somatization, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and pandemic-related disruptions. Overall, participants reported mild to moderate CITRB, although certain thoughts/behaviors were more frequently endorsed, such as repeatedly telling others to take precautions against COVID-19 and checking COVID-19-related news. Being male, younger, a health-care worker, or in isolation/quarantine was associated with CITRB severity in community members. Obsessive-compulsive symptom severity, depression, somatic symptoms, and anxiety were associated with CITRB severity, although only obsessive-compulsive symptoms were uniquely associated with CITRB. This study provided evidence for the construct of CITRB, which may help mental health providers identify the nature and sources of COVID-19-related distress for some individuals as well as serve as a framework for evaluating obsessive-compulsive symptoms specific to large-scale crises.

Latin American Trans-ancestry INitiative for OCD genomics (LATINO): Study Protocol.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating psychiatric disorder. Worldwide, its prevalence is ~2% and its etiology is mostly unknown. Identifying biological factors contributing to OCD will elucidate underlying mechanisms and might contribute to improved treatment outcomes. Genomic studies of OCD are beginning to reveal long-sought risk loci, but >95% of the cases currently in analysis are of homogenous European ancestry. If not addressed, this Eurocentric bias will result in OCD genomic findings being more accurate for individuals of European ancestry than other ancestries, thereby contributing to health disparities in potential future applications of genomics. In this study protocol paper, we describe the Latin American Trans-ancestry INitiative for OCD genomics (LATINO, www.latinostudy.org). LATINO is a new network of investigators from across Latin America, the United States, and Canada who have begun to collect DNA and clinical data from 5,000 richly-phenotyped OCD cases of Latin American ancestry in a culturally sensitive and ethical manner. In this project, we will utilize trans-ancestry genomic analyses to accelerate the identification of OCD risk loci, fine-map putative causal variants, and improve the performance of polygenic risk scores in diverse populations. We will also capitalize on rich clinical data to examine the genetics of treatment response, biologically plausible OCD subtypes, and symptom dimensions. Additionally, LATINO will help elucidate the diversity of the clinical presentations of OCD across cultures through various trainings developed and offered in collaboration with Latin American investigators. We believe this study will advance the important goal of global mental health discovery and equity.

Stepped-Care Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Children on the Autism Spectrum with Co-occurring Anxiety.

This trial examined stepped-care cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) among 96 autistic youth with co-occurring anxiety. Step 1 included an open trial of parent-led, therapist-guided bibliotherapy. Step 2 was family-based CBT for those who did not respond to Step 1 or maintenance for those who did. Eighteen participants (28%) who completed Step 1 responded. Responders reported significantly lower pre-treatment anxiety, internalizing symptoms, and functional impairment than non-responders. After Steps 1 and 2, 80% of completers (55% intent-to-treat) were responders. Anxiety, impairment, and ASD-related impairments significantly improved. Youth in maintenance experienced faster improvement through post-treatment, though there were no group differences at 3-month-follow-up. A stepped approach may help some individuals in Step 1, particularly those who are less anxious.

Change during cognitive and exposure phases of cognitive-behavioral therapy for autistic youth with anxiety disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate improvement during the (a) cognitive and (b) exposure therapy phases of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for autistic youth with anxiety disorders. METHOD: Participants were 148 autistic youth (aged 7-13; 77% male; 64% White) with clinically significant anxiety who were randomized to standard or adapted CBT. Clinician-rated anxiety severity was recorded at each appointment. Trajectories of change during (a) the cognitive phase and (b) the exposure phase of treatment were analyzed using piecewise multilevel modeling. RESULTS: Compared to the psychoeducation and cognitive therapy phases, the exposure phase corresponded with significantly more rapid symptom reduction, b = -.11, 95% CI [-.13, -.071]. This finding was true for standard CBT, which included nine sessions prior to exposure initiation (on average), as well as for CBT personalized for autistic youth, which introduced exposure following the fifth session (on average). In contrast, compared with improvements during initial psychoeducation sessions, the introduction of cognitive skills corresponded with significantly slower symptom reduction, b = .066, 95% CI [.020, .11]. This finding was also true for both adapted and standard CBT. CONCLUSIONS: Results underscore the central role of exposure in the treatment of anxiety among autistic youth and question the utility of cognitive strategies without subsequent practice of these skills during exposure. Assuming a working relationship, therapists should consider moving through the preexposure coping phase of CBT quickly. Future research should evaluate the extent to which exposure can maintain its potency while minimizing coping skill preparation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Initial Effects of a Brief Transdiagnostic Intervention on Parent Emotion Management During COVID-19.

Parents are a vulnerable group to increased distress resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, 80 parents with at least mildly elevated internalizing symptoms were randomized to receive a four session, transdiagnostic intervention via telehealth during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic based on the Unified Protocols for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP-Caregiver), immediately or 6-weeks after receipt of psychoeducational materials. Results showed no between-condition differences in slopes of primary outcome measures; however, significant group differences in intercepts indicated that those receiving UP-Caregiver immediately had greater improvements in distress tolerance and intolerance of uncertainty than those in the delayed condition. Analyses also suggested within-condition improvements in emotional functioning and high satisfaction with UP-Caregiver. Results suggest that psychoeducation and symptom monitoring may be helpful to some distressed parents. Future investigations should utilize a larger sample to identify which parents might benefit the most from interventions like UP-Caregiver during crises.

Clinician Perspectives on the Impact of COVID-19 on the Treatment of Adults and Youth with Anxiety.

We describe the perceptions of mental health clinicians practicing in the United States about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the presentation and treatment course of active clients with anxiety. Clinician participants reported on client symptomology at the beginning of treatment, just before (prior to March 2020), and at a mid-pandemic timepoint (December 2020/January 2021). An initial sample of 70 clinicians responded to a survey assessing their clients' overall anxiety severity, anxiety sensitivity, pathological uncertainty, family accommodation, and avoidance levels. Of these, 54 clinician responses were included in study analyses, providing detailed clinical information on 81 clients. Findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with increases in anxiety severity in the majority of clients; overall, clinicians reported that 53% of clients had symptoms worsen due to COVID-19 and that only 16% experienced improvement of symptoms during treatment. Those who had lower levels of avoidance pre-pandemic and those who increased their frequency of treatment were more likely to experience increases in anxiety severity by the mid-pandemic timepoint. Further research is needed to understand the extended effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on anxiety symptomology and treatment.

Primary Outcomes for Adults Receiving the Unified Protocol after Hurricane Harvey in an Integrated Healthcare Setting.

The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP) has demonstrated efficacy for treating anxiety and depression. However, there are limited effectiveness data when conducted in real-world settings with diverse populations, including those with trauma. We evaluated treatment outcomes in a naturalistic, community setting among 279 adults who received UP following Hurricane Harvey. We examined change in overall clinical severity, depression and anxiety symptoms, functional impairment, and baseline outcome predictors (i.e., demographic characteristics, impact from Hurricane Harvey, co-occurrence of depression and anxiety symptoms). Global clinical severity, depression and anxiety symptoms, and functional impairment decreased by end-of-treatment. Participants experienced global symptom improvement to a lesser degree than demonstrated in efficacy trials. Participants who experienced greater storm impact reported larger reductions in anxiety symptoms than those less impacted by Harvey. Further studies evaluating the effectiveness of the UP post-disaster and with diverse samples are needed.

Brief, parent-led, transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioral teletherapy for youth with emotional problems related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased stress, anxiety, and depression in children. A six-session, parent-led, transdiagnostic, cognitive-behavioral teletherapy program was adapted from an established protocol to help youth aged between 5 and 13 years manage emotional problems during the pandemic. METHODS: One-hundred twenty-nine parents of youth struggling with emotional problems during the COVID-19 pandemic participated in the program. Parents reported on their children's psychosocial functioning before and after treatment using validated assessments. They also reported on treatment satisfaction. Clinician-rated global improvement was assessed at each session to determine clinically significant treatment response. RESULTS: Significant improvements in parent proxy-reported anxiety (d = 0.56), depression (d = 0.69), stress (d = 0.61), anger (d = 0.69), family relationships (d = 0.32), and COVID-19-related distress (d = 1.08) were found, with 62% of participants who completed the program being classified as treatment responders. Parents reported high levels of satisfaction with the program. LIMITATIONS: This study was limited by use of primarily parent-report assessments and a lack of a control group. CONCLUSIONS: Brief, parent-led, transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioral teletherapy appeared to be an effective way to help youth cope with the pandemic and may be a scalable framework in response to large-scale mental health crises.

Family Accommodation of Symptoms in Adults With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Factor Structure and Usefulness of the Family Accommodation Scale for OCD-Patient Version.

For individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), family accommodation of symptoms, such as over-reassurance, participation in rituals, or facilitation of avoidance, is one of the key factors associated with symptom severity, maintenance, and related impairment. Most studies have assessed accommodation behaviors based on reports from family members or other loved ones. Recently, a patient-rated questionnaire, the Family Accommodation Scale for OCD-Patient Version (FAS-PV) was developed to assess family accommodation from the patient's perspective. This study investigated the factor structure of the FAS-PV and clinical variables associated with patient-reported family accommodation in a sample of 151 treatment-seeking adults with OCD. A confirmatory factor analysis suggested that a 4-factor model best characterized the scale, with the following factors: (1) participation in symptoms, (2) avoidance of OCD triggers, (3) taking on responsibilities, and (4) modifying responsibilities. Internal consistency was high for the total score and for scores on the 4 subscales of the FAS-PV. Approximately 87% of the sample reported accommodation behaviors at some level. Family accommodation was positively correlated with OCD symptom severity and functional disability, and partially mediated the associations between these 2 factors, so that greater OCD severity was associated with greater accommodation, which, in turn, was associated with greater disability. Our findings parallel those of studies that have employed other versions of the FAS and suggest that the FAS-PV is a useful tool for assessing family accommodation of OCD symptoms from the patient's perspective.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Misdiagnosis among Mental Healthcare Providers in Latin America.

Mental healthcare professionals often have limited awareness of different obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptom presentations, which may contribute to years between OCD symptom onset and treatment initiation. While research has identified high rates of OCD misdiagnosis among clinicians from the United States and Canada, research on OCD symptom awareness among healthcare providers in Latin American (LATAM) regions is limited. In this study, LATAM mental healthcare providers (N = 83) provided diagnostic impressions based on five OCD vignettes: three with symptoms centered on taboo thoughts (sexual, harming others, and religion/scrupulosity) and two about contamination or symmetry obsessions. Rates of incorrect (non-OCD) diagnoses were significantly higher for the taboo thoughts vignettes (sexual, 52.7%; harm/aggression, 42.0%; and religious, 34.7%) vs. contamination obsessions (11.0%) and symmetry obsessions (6.9%). The OCD vignette depicting sexual obsessions was often attributed to a paraphilic disorder (36.5%). Bachelor's level clinicians had significantly lower odds of accurately identifying all three vignettes related to taboo thoughts compared to respondents with a graduate degree. Accurate identification of the three taboo vignettes was also associated with first-line psychological treatment recommendations (i.e., cognitive-behavioral therapy) even when controlling for respondents' theoretical orientation. Exposure was rarely mentioned when clinicians were prompted to provide treatment recommendations for each vignette (8-9% of the time for symmetry and contamination vignettes, 5-7% for taboo though vignettes). Like clinicians in the United States and Canada, mental health professionals in LATAM may misidentify OCD symptom presentations, particularly sexual obsessions, highlighting a need for education and training.

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: An Empirical Approach to Defining Treatment Response and Remission in Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

OBJECTIVE: A lack of universal definitions for response and remission in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has hampered the comparability of results across trials. To address this problem, we conducted an individual participant data diagnostic test accuracy meta-analysis to evaluate the discriminative ability of the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) in determining response and remission. We also aimed to generate empirically derived cutoffs on the CY-BOCS for these outcomes. METHOD: A systematic review of PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase and CENTRAL identified 5,401 references; 42 randomized controlled clinical trials were considered eligible, and 21 provided data for inclusion (N = 1,234). Scores of ≤2 in the Clinical Global Impressions Improvement and Severity scales were chosen to define response and remission, respectively. A 2-stage, random-effects meta-analysis model was established. The area under the curve (AUC) and the Youden Index were computed to indicate the discriminative ability of the CY-BOCS and to guide for the optimal cutoff, respectively. RESULTS: The CY-BOCS had sufficient discriminative ability to determine response (AUC = 0.89) and remission (AUC = 0.92). The optimal cutoff for response was a ≥35% reduction from baseline to posttreatment (sensitivity = 83.9, 95% CI = 83.7-84.1; specificity = 81.7, 95% CI = 81.5-81.9). The optimal cutoff for remission was a posttreatment raw score of ≤12 (sensitivity = 82.0, 95% CI = 81.8-82.2; specificity = 84.6, 95% CI = 84.4-84.8). CONCLUSION: Meta-analysis identified empirically optimal cutoffs on the CY-BOCS to determine response and remission in pediatric OCD randomized controlled clinical trials. Systematic adoption of standardized operational definitions for response and remission will improve comparability across trials for pediatric OCD.

Mental Health Literacy and Stigma Among Salvadorian Youth: Anxiety, Depression and Obsessive-Compulsive Related Disorders.

This study examined (1) adolescent mental health literacy (MHL) and stigma for depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (OCRDs), and (2) demographic moderators. Participants were 383 high school students (50.9% boys) aged 11-18 years (M = 14.12, SD = 1.91) in El Salvador. Participants read vignettes of adolescents with mental health problems and reported on their beliefs about (1) what was wrong with the young person, (2) expected recovery time, (3) help-seeking beliefs and recommendations, and (4) stigma and preferred social distance associated with each condition. Results suggested that recognition of mental health conditions, especially anxiety disorders and OCRDs, was limited, although one third could recognize depression in a peer. Help-seeking attitudes were favorable. Adolescents were only somewhat willing to be affiliated with someone experiencing a mental health problem. Girls showed better MHL and lower stigma than boys. Stigma was lower among those with exposure to mental health problems.

Predictors of Suicidal Thoughts in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Anxiety or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: The Unique Contribution of Externalizing Behaviors.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at elevated risk of suicidal ideation, particularly those with comorbid anxiety disorders and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We investigated the risk factors associated with suicidal ideation in 166 children with ASD and comorbid anxiety disorders/OCD, and the unique contribution of externalizing behaviors. Suicidal ideation was reported in the child sample by 13% of parents. Controlling for child age, sex, and IQ, perceived loneliness positively predicted the likelihood of suicidal ideation. In addition, externalizing behaviors positively predicted suicidal ideation, controlling for all other factors. Reliance on parental report to detect suicidal ideation in youth with ASD is a limitation of this study. Nonetheless, these findings highlight the importance of assessing and addressing suicidal ideation in children with ASD and comorbid anxiety disorders/OCD, and more importantly in those with elevated externalizing behaviors and perceptions of loneliness.

Assessment of improvement in anxiety severity for children with autism spectrum disorder: The matched correspondence analysis approach.

INTRODUCTION: Clinical trials typically involve random assignment to treatment conditions. However, random assignment does not guarantee a lack of systematic variation in the outcomes, and application of covariation methods for multiple dependent measures requires complicated assumptions that are often not met. METHODS: This study employed matched correspondence analysis (CA) for controlling systematic variation and handling multiple outcomes. One hundred nine children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were assessed for anxiety symptom severity across four studies, where participants were randomly assigned to either cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or treatment as usual or waitlist (TAU/WT). Matched CA is designed to optimally scale only the differences between baseline and posttreatment, rendering the systematic baseline carryover effects irrelevant. RESULTS: Differences in treatment efficacy were observed. CBT showed treatment efficacy on anxiety severity and anxiety-related impairment relative to TAU/WT, after the control of baseline carryover effects. CONCLUSION: This study provides a way to control systematic variation between groups at the outset of treatment trials and is expected to provide a novel pathway to more proper assessment of treatment efficacy for children with ASD and anxiety.

Parental Attitudes Toward Use of Ketamine in Adolescent Mood Disorders and Suicidality.

Objectives: Investigation into parental decision-making processes involving ketamine is of high priority, given the necessary role of parents in consenting to treatment. In this study, we examined parental attitudes toward the emerging use of ketamine in adolescent mood disorders and suicidality. Methods: Two hundred eighty-three English-speaking parents completed an online survey using Amazon Mechanical Turk on psychiatric use of ketamine, acceptability of treatment, and their perceptions of ketamine treatment. Data quality control measures were used to mitigate invalid reporting. Results: Parents reported high acceptability toward use of ketamine for suicidality, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder in adolescents. Primary concerns around ketamine involved its potential side effects and lack of United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Responses indicated a preference for short-term applications and less invasive routes of administration for ketamine. Parent history of mental illness, familiarity with psychological treatments, and comfort using other mental health interventions in their children predicted greater acceptability of ketamine. Conclusion: Although ketamine is not currently approved by the FDA for psychiatric use in children nor recommended outside of research protocols, these findings suggest that parents have interest in the application of ketamine as a treatment for pediatric mood disorders and point to future directions for research and clinical orientation.

Perceptions of Deep Brain Stimulation for Adolescents with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Objective: The present study aims to understand perceptions of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in adolescents among two groups: parents of children with a history of OCD and adults with a history of OCD. Methods: Two hundred sixty participants completed a questionnaire exploring their treatment history, relevant symptom severity, DBS knowledge, and DBS attitudes using an acceptability scale and a series of statements indicating levels of willingness or reluctance to consider DBS for adolescents with severe OCD or severe epilepsy. Results: Overall, participants found DBS to be fairly acceptable for adolescents with severe OCD, with 63% reporting at least 7/10 on a 0-10 acceptability Likert scale. Respondents were more willing to consider DBS for epilepsy than for OCD. Several factors were associated with greater willingness to consider DBS for OCD, including familiarity with DBS, the presence of suicidal thoughts, assurances of daily functioning improvements, and assurances of substantial symptom reduction. Concerns about safety, personality changes, and long-term effects on the body were associated with greatest reluctance to consider DBS for OCD. Conclusions: Our findings support the importance of increasing parents' familiarity with DBS, monitoring factors participants identified as most important to their DBS perceptions in future DBS research, and communicating benefits and risks clearly. We also highlight the need for further research on perceptions of DBS for severe and refractory OCD in adolescents.

Parental accommodation of symptoms in adolescents with chronic pain.

Chronic pain in adolescents can be highly impairing. Parental reactions to their child's pain are important factors influencing pain perception and pain-related impairment in children and adolescents. The present study aimed to examine parental accommodation of pain symptoms using the Inventory of Parent Accommodations of Children's Symptoms (IPACS) to provide empirical support for the utility of this measure in parents of adolescents with chronic pain. We examined the prevalence, nature, and correlates of accommodation behaviors in 66 adolescents with chronic pain and their parents using the IPACS. All parents reported some level of accommodation of their child's pain symptoms. After controlling for pain severity, parental accommodation was associated with functional impairment. In addition, parental accommodation mediated the link between parental catastrophizing reactions to pain and child impairment and between child anxiety and depressive symptoms and child impairment. The IPACS appears to be a useful measure of parental accommodation of pain. Parental accommodation should be included as an intervention target when necessary. It is important to educate families about the negative consequences that can be related to excessive accommodation of pain symptoms and to provide effective resources to manage the impact of chronic pain and replace accommodation with more adaptive pain coping strategies.