Impact of text difficulty and visual emphasis on pediatric neuropsychological evaluation reports: The parent's perspective.

Objective: Despite varying opinions, little research has examined how to best write pediatric neuropsychology reports. Method: This study gathered input from 230 parents on how text difficulty (reading level) and visual emphasis (bullets, underline, italics) affect report readability and utility. We focused on the most-read report section: summary/impressions. Each parent rated the readability and usefulness of a generic summary/impressions section written in four different styles. The four styles crossed text difficulty (high school-vs-collegiate) with use of visual emphasis (absent-vs-present). Results: Parents found versions with easier text to be more clearly written, easier to follow, and easier to find information (p<.001). Parents rated those with harder text to be overly detailed, complex, hard to understand, and hard to read (p<.001). Visual emphasis made it easier to find key information and the text easier to follow and understand - but primarily for versions that were written in difficult text (interaction p≤.026). After rating all four styles, parents picked their preference. They most often picked versions written in easier text with visual emphasis (p<.001). Conclusions: Findings support writing styles that use easier text difficulty and visual emphasis.

Clinic-Based Characterization of Adolescents and Young Adults With Migraine: Psychological Functioning, Headache Days, and Disability.

Background and Objectives: This cross-sectional observational study retrospectively examined clinical data collected from adolescents and young adults (AYAs) seeking care in a specialty headache clinic. We characterized participants' headache characteristics and psychological functioning and examined the association between self-reported anxiety and depressive symptoms and headache frequency, severity, and disability. Methods: During their clinic visit, AYAs (M age = 18.36; range = 14-32, 79.5% female) completed an intake questionnaire and reported about their headache characteristics (i.e., frequency, severity, and duration of symptoms in months), mental health history (i.e., previous diagnosis of an anxiety or depressive disorder), and utilization of emergency department (ED) services for migraine. AYAs also completed psychometrically validated screening tools for anxiety and depressive symptoms (i.e., the GAD-7 and PHQ-9). We computed descriptive statistics and examined associations among scores on psychological measures and headache characteristics, including migraine-related disability. We also tested whether individuals with clinically elevated GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores had higher levels of disability relative to those with fewer/subclinical levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Results: Participants (N = 283) reported more than 19 headache days per month on average, with more than 90% describing their average headache intensity as moderate or severe. Nearly half of AYAs reported severe headache-related disability. Approximately one-quarter of AYAs reported a previous diagnosis anxiety or depressive disorder diagnosis, and more than one-third scored above clinical cutoffs on the PHQ-9 and GAD-7. Higher scores on both psychological screening instruments were associated with greater headache frequency. More than 10% of patients endorsed current suicidal ideation; this was not related to headache-related disability. Participants reported a high degree of ED utilization for headache; these rates were unrelated to endorsement of psychological comorbidities. Discussion: In this sample of AYAs, headache characteristics were generally unrelated to scores on measures on psychological functioning. However, the observed rates of clinically elevated anxiety/depressive symptoms and suicidality in this sample of AYAs underscore the importance of screening for psychological comorbidities in neurology clinics that serve this age group, irrespective of self-reported disability. Results also emphasize the need to expand access to behavioral health services for AYAs with headache disorders and the importance of incorporating a biopsychosocial perspective to the transition of health care from pediatrics to adult neurology practice.

Study protocol for a pilot clinical trial to understand neural mechanisms of response to a psychological treatment for pain and anxiety in pediatric functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPD).

BACKGROUND: Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPD) are the most common chronic pain conditions of childhood and are made worse by co-occurring anxiety. Our research team found that the Aim to Decrease Pain and Anxiety Treatment (ADAPT), a six-session coping skills program using cognitive behavioral therapy strategies, was effective in improving pain-related symptoms and anxiety symptoms compared to standard care. In follow-up, this current randomized clinical trial (RCT) aims to test potential neural mechanisms underlying the effect of ADAPT. Specifically, this two-arm RCT will explore changes in amygdalar functional connectivity (primary outcome) following the ADAPT protocol during the water loading symptom provocation task (WL-SPT). Secondary (e.g., changes in regional cerebral blood flow via pulsed arterial spin labeling MRI) and exploratory (e.g., the association between the changes in functional connectivity and clinical symptoms) outcomes will also be investigated. METHODS: We will include patients ages 11 to 16 years presenting to outpatient pediatric gastroenterology care at a midwestern children's hospital with a diagnosis of FAPD plus evidence of clinical anxiety based on a validated screening tool (the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 [GAD-7] measure). Eligible participants will undergo baseline neuroimaging involving the WL-SPT, and assessment of self-reported pain, anxiety, and additional symptoms, prior to being randomized to a six-week remotely delivered ADAPT program plus standard medical care or standard medical care alone (waitlist). Thereafter, subjects will complete a post assessment neuroimaging visit similar in nature to their first visit. CONCLUSIONS: This small scale RCT aims to increase understanding of potential neural mechanisms of response to ADAPT. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT03518216.

Examining Patterns and Predictors of ADHD Teens' Skill-Learning Trajectories During Enhanced FOrward Concentration and Attention Learning (FOCAL+) Training.

OBJECTIVE: Examine patterns and predictors of skill learning during multisession Enhanced FOrward Concentration and Attention Learning (FOCAL+) training. BACKGROUND: FOCAL+ teaches teens to reduce the duration of off-road glances using real-time error learning. In a randomized controlled trial, teens with ADHD received five sessions of FOCAL+ training and demonstrated significant reductions in extended glances (>2-s) away from the roadway (i.e., long-glances) and a 40% reduced risk of a crash/near-crash event. Teens' improvement in limiting long-glances as assessed after each FOCAL+ training session has not been examined. METHOD: Licensed teen (ages 16-19) drivers with ADHD (n = 152) were randomly assigned to five sessions of either FOCAL+ or modified standard driver training. Teens completed driving simulation assessments at baseline, after each training session, and 1 month and 6 months posttraining. Naturalistic driving was monitored for one year. RESULTS: FOCAL+ training produced a 53% maximal reduction in long-glances during postsession simulated driving. The number of sessions needed to achieve maximum performance varied across participants. However, after five FOCAL+ training sessions, number of long-glances was comparable irrespective of when teens achieved their maximum performance. The magnitude of reduction in long-glances predicted levels of long-glances during simulated driving at 1 month and 6 months posttraining but not naturalistic driving outcomes. FOCAL+ training provided the most benefit during training to teens who were younger and had less driving experience. CONCLUSION: FOCAL+ training significantly reduces long-glances beginning at the 1st training session. APPLICATION: Providing five FOCAL+ training sessions early on during teen driving may maximize benefit.

A Multi-Method Examination of Peer Functioning in Children with and without Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS) includes excessive daydreaming, mental confusion, and hypoactive behaviors that are distinct from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder inattentive (ADHD-IN) symptoms. A growing number of studies indicate that CDS symptoms may be associated with ratings of social withdrawal. However, it is important to examine this association in children specifically recruited for the presence or absence of CDS, and to incorporate multiple methods including direct observations of peer interactions. The current study builds on previous research by recruiting children with and without clinically elevated CDS symptoms and using a multi-method, multi-informant design including recess observations and parent, teacher, and child rating scales. METHOD: Participants were 207 children in grades 2-5 (63.3% male), including 103 with CDS and 104 without CDS, closely matched on grade and sex. RESULTS: Controlling for family income, medication status, internalizing symptoms, and ADHD-IN severity, children with CDS were observed during recess to spend more time alone or engaging in parallel play, as well as less time involved in direct social interactions, than children without CDS. Children with CDS were also rated by teachers as being more asocial, shy, and socially disinterested than children without CDS. Although children with and without CDS did not differ on parent- or self-report ratings of shyness or social disinterest, children with CDS rated themselves as lonelier than children without CDS. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that children with CDS have a distinct profile of peer functioning and point to the potential importance of targeting withdrawal in interventions for youth with elevated CDS symptoms.

[Formula: see text] Neurocognition in children with cognitive disengagement syndrome: accurate but slow.

Cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS), previously termed sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT), is characterized by excessive daydreaming, mental confusion, and slowed behavior or thinking. Prior research has found inconsistent relations between CDS and neurocognition, though most studies have used small or ADHD-defined samples, non-optimal measures of CDS, and/or examined limited neurocognitive domains. Accordingly, this study examined the association of parent- and teacher-reported CDS symptoms using a comprehensive neurocognitive battery in a sample of 263 children (aged 8-12) selected with a range of CDS symptomatology. Parents and teachers provided ratings of CDS and ADHD inattentive (ADHD-IN) symptoms. Path analyses were conducted to examine CDS and ADHD-IN as unique predictors of neurocognitive functioning after covarying for age, sex, and family income. CDS symptoms were uniquely associated with slower performance across a range of cognitive domains, including verbal inhibition, rapid naming/reading, planning, divided attention, and set shifting. In contrast, ADHD-IN symptoms were uniquely associated with poorer performance on a Go/NoGo task (inhibition/distractibility), visual scanning and discrimination, and interference control. Findings from the current study, amongst the first to recruit children based on levels of CDS symptomatology, provide the strongest evidence to date that the neurocognitive phenotype of CDS is characterized by slowed cognitive processing, and add to its validity as a separate syndrome from ADHD. If replicated, these findings have implications for assessment, treatment, and school accommodations for CDS. Neuroimaging studies exploring the neurobiological basis of CDS are also needed.

Examining daily stimulant medication use and sleep in adolescents with ADHD.

Research has been inconclusive as to whether stimulant treatment causes or exacerbates sleep problems in adolescents with ADHD. This study examined sleep differences in adolescents with ADHD as a function of stimulant use. Participants were adolescents with ADHD (N = 159, ages 12-14). Parents reported on receipt of stimulant treatment (n = 92, 57.86%; n = 47 amphetamines, n = 45 methylphenidate). Adolescents wore actigraphs and completed daily diaries assessing sleep and daily use of stimulants for 2 weeks. Sleep parameters included daily-reported bedtime, sleep onset latency (SOL), sleep duration, daytime sleepiness, and difficulty waking the following morning; and actigraphy-measured sleep onset time, total time in bed, and sleep efficiency. We estimated between- and within-individual associations between stimulant medication use and sleep indices with all stimulants, after removing adolescents using sleep aids and weekend days, and as a function of stimulant type. Adolescent sleep did not differ between those receiving and not receiving stimulant treatment. Within individuals using stimulants, we largely observed no significant differences between medicated and unmedicated days, though findings were most often significant for school days only. Small effects were found indicating longer SOL, later sleep onset time, and more daytime sleepiness related to medication use. In contrast, there were slight improvements to sleep duration and sleep efficiency related to methylphenidate use, though methylphenidate was also associated with later sleep onset time and more daytime sleepiness. Given the inconsistent and small effects, findings suggest that stimulant medication may impact sleep, but does not appear to be a primary contributor to sleep problems in adolescents with ADHD.

Associations between patient-reported functional disability and measures of physical ability in juvenile fibromyalgia.

ABSTRACT: Juvenile fibromyalgia (JFM) is a chronic condition characterized by symptoms of pain and fatigue and is associated with sedentary behavior and functional disability. Adults with fibromyalgia exhibit deficits in physical fitness as evidenced by lower aerobic capacity and physical endurance, but it is unknown whether these impairments are apparent in adolescents with JFM. Furthermore, the extent to which functional disability and pain interference relate to measures of physical fitness has not been investigated in a pediatric pain population. During a baseline assessment for a clinical trial, 321 adolescents with juvenile fibromyalgia (M age = 15.14, 85.2% female) completed measures of pain intensity, fatigue, JFM symptom severity, functional disability, and pain interference. They also completed 2 validated fitness tasks: (1) the Harvard step test, which assesses aerobic fitness, and (2) the 6-minute walk test, a simple submaximal test of endurance. We examined associations among self-report measures and fitness assessments using bivariate correlations. We then employed hierarchical regression analyses to determine the unique contributions of physical fitness assessments to self-reported functional disability and pain interference. Results indicated that youth with JFM exhibited deficits in aerobic capacity and physical endurance. However, physical fitness explained negligible variance in functional disability and pain interference beyond that accounted for by pain, fatigue, and JFM symptom severity. Scores on available functional disability measures may reflect perceived difficulties in coping with symptoms during physical tasks rather than actual physical capability. Rigorous and sensitive assessments of physical fitness and endurance are needed to determine whether rehabilitation interventions for pediatric pain improve physical functioning.

Weak Relationships Between Psychological Factors and Experimental Pain Outcomes in Pain-Free Individuals: An Aggregate Analysis of 8 Studies.

Although psychological factors such as anxiety, depression, and pain catastrophizing are known to influence pain outcomes in chronic pain populations, there are mixed results regarding whether they influence experimental pain outcomes in pain-free individuals. The objectives of this study were to determine the associations between psychological factors and experimental pain outcomes in pain-free adolescents and adults. Relationships between anxiety, depression, and pain catastrophizing and experimental pain outcomes across 8 different studies (total N = 595) were examined in different populations of pain-free adult and adolescent participants. Analyses were conducted with and without controlling for sex, age, and race. Studies were analyzed separately and as part of an aggregate analysis. Individual study analyses resulted in 136 regression models. Of these, only 8 models revealed a significant association between psychological factors and pain outcomes. The significant results were small and likely due to Type 1 error. Controlling for demographic factors had minimal effect on the results. The aggregate analyses revealed weak relationships between anxiety and pressure pain threshold (Fisher's z = -.10 [-.19, -.01]), anxiety and cold pain intensity ratings (Fisher's z = .18 [.04, .32]), and pain catastrophizing and pressure pain threshold (Fisher's z = -.14 [-.26, -.02]). Sample size calculations based on the aggregate analyses indicated that several hundred participants would be required to detect true relationships between these psychological factors and pain measures. The overall negative findings suggest that in pain-free individuals, anxiety, depression, and pain catastrophizing are not meaningfully related to experimental pain outcomes. PERSPECTIVE: Psychological variables have been shown to predict pain outcomes in chronic pain populations but these relationships may not generalize to pain-free populations. An analysis of 595 pain-free individuals across 8 studies in our lab revealed that anxiety, depression, and pain catastrophizing were not meaningfully related to experimental pain outcomes.

Executive Functioning as a Predictor of Adverse Driving Outcomes in Teen Drivers With ADHD.

OBJECTIVE: The present study examined the association between executive functioning (EF) and risky driving behaviors in teens with ADHD. METHOD: Teens diagnosed with ADHD (n = 179; Mage = 17.4 years) completed two 15-min drives in a fixed-base driving simulator. EF was assessed using parent- and self-report Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF-2), a temporal reproduction task, and a Go/No-Go task (GNG). Driving outcomes included known predictors of crashes: count of long (>2 s) off-road glances, standard deviation (SD) of lane position (SDLP), mean speed, and SD speed. Generalized linear mixed models, controlling for intelligence and driving experience, were conducted. RESULTS: Higher rates of GNG commission errors predicted higher rates of long off-road glances. Lower parent-rated EF and increased rates of GNG omission errors predicted SDLP. Higher rates of GNG commission errors also predicted faster average driving speed. CONCLUSION: Heterogeneity in EF is associated with differences in teen ADHD risky driving behaviors.

Examining bidirectional associations between sleep and behavior among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Background: Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have more sleep problems than their peers which contribute to behavioral and functional impairments. This study examines the bidirectional relationship between nightly sleep (i.e., total sleep time and sleep efficiency) and daily behavior of children with ADHD. Method: Forty-three children (ages 6-13 [mean = 9.05, 54% male, 77% medicated]) participated in a 2-week study during an ADHD Summer Treatment Program (STP). Sleep was measured with actigraphy. Behavior was assessed using STP clinical data and daily parent and counselor ratings of ADHD symptoms, oppositional defiant disorder behaviors, and emotion regulation (e.g., difficulty regulating emotional disposition and controlling emotions). We hypothesized that healthier night's sleep measured by actigraphy (i.e., sleep efficiency and total sleep time [TST]) would relate to less ADHD symptoms, less emotional dysregulation, and better academic performance the next day. Additionally, we hypothesized that less ADHD symptoms, less emotional dysregulation, and greater academic performance would relate to healthier sleep that night. Results: Higher nightly sleep efficiency was related to improved parent-ratings of ADHD the next day (R 2 = 0.04, p = 0.04) and improved parent-ratings of ADHD during the day lead to higher sleep efficiency that night (R 2 = 0.002, p = 0.02). Higher rates of daily assignment completion were related to higher sleep efficiency at night (R 2 = 0.035, p = 0.03). TST was not related to any behavioral outcomes. Conclusion: Sleep efficiency may be more relevant than TST to behavioral performance the next day. Additionally, a bidirectional relationship exists between sleep efficiency and parent ratings of ADHD. Findings highlight the importance of assessing for manifestations of poor sleep efficiency, waking minutes, and wakings after sleep onset when diagnosing and treating ADHD.

Equivalence testing to judge model fit: A Monte Carlo simulation.

Decades of published methodological research have shown the chi-square test of model fit performs inconsistently and unreliably as a determinant of structural equation model (SEM) fit. Likewise, SEM indices of model fit, such as comparative fit index (CFI) and root-mean-square error of approximation (RMSEA) also perform inconsistently and unreliably. Despite rather unreliable ways to statistically assess model fit, researchers commonly rely on these methods for lack of a suitable inferential alternative. Marcoulides and Yuan (2017) have proposed the first inferential test of SEM fit in many years: an equivalence test adaptation of the RMSEA and CFI indices (i.e., RMSEAt and CFIt). However, the ability of this equivalence testing approach to accurately judge acceptable and unacceptable model fit has not been empirically tested. This fully crossed Monte Carlo simulation evaluated the accuracy of equivalence testing combining many of the same independent variable (IV) conditions used in previous fit index simulation studies, including sample size (N = 100-1,000), model specification (correctly specified or misspecified), model type (confirmatory factor analysis [CFA], path analysis, or SEM), number of variables analyzed (low or high), data distribution (normal or skewed), and missing data (none, 10%, or 25%). Results show equivalence testing performs rather inconsistently and unreliably across IV conditions, with acceptable or unacceptable RMSEAt and CFIt model fit index values often being contingent on complex interactions among conditions. Proportional z-tests and logistic regression analyses indicated that equivalence tests of model fit are problematic under multiple conditions, especially those where models are mildly misspecified. Recommendations for researchers are offered, but with the provision that they be used with caution until more research and development is available. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Early childhood sleep quantity, but not caregiver-reported sleep problems, predicts impulse control in children at age 8 years.

Short duration of sleep and poor sleep quality have been linked to poor attention and impulse control in children. We aimed to determine the longitudinal predictive value of sleep quantity and quality during early childhood on objective and caregiver-report measures of attention, impulse control, and executive function in children at age 8 years. We used data from the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment (HOME) Study, a pregnancy and birth cohort. Caregivers reported on their child's sleep at ages 2, 2.5, 3, 4, and 5 years. Analysis included 410 participants. We used longitudinal growth curve models of early childhood sleep patterns to predict neurobehavioral functioning at age 8 years. Sleep problems did not predict any of our outcome measures at age 8 years. Sleep duration trended shorter as children matured, so predictive models examined both intercept and slope. Children with the least decline in sleep duration across early childhood had fewer impulsive errors at age 8 years on a continuous performance test (unadjusted p = .013; adjusted p = .013). Children with shorter duration of sleep across early childhood had worse caregiver-reported behavioral regulation at age 8 years (unadjusted p = .002; adjusted p = .043). Neither sleep duration slope nor intercept predicted inattention or metacognitive skills at age 8 years (p > .05). Total sleep time across early childhood predicts behavior regulation difficulties in school-aged children. Inadequate sleep during early childhood may be a marker for, or contribute to, poor development of a child's self-regulatory skills.

Longitudinal mental health trends in cystic fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Mental health screening in accordance with consensus guidelines became routine clinical practice in our cystic fibrosis (CF) Center in 2015. We hypothesized improvement in anxiety and depression symptoms over time and associations between elevated screening scores and disease severity. We aimed to observe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and modulator use on mental health symptoms. METHODS: Retrospective chart reviews were conducted for people 12 years and older with at least one Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) or Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) screening for six years. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographic variables and logistic regression and linear mixed models were used to evaluate the relationship between screening scores and clinical variables. RESULTS: Analyses included 150 participants (ages 12-22 years). The percentage of minimal to no symptom scores increased over time for anxiety and depression. Increased mental health visits and CFRD were associated with higher PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores. Higher FEV1pp was associated with lower GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores. More effective modulator use was associated with lower PHQ-9 scores. Mean PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores were not significantly different when comparing pre-pandemic and pandemic scores. CONCLUSION: Disruptions in screening during the pandemic were minimal and symptom scores remained stable. Individuals with higher mental health screening scores were more likely to have CFRD and utilization of mental health services. Consistent mental health monitoring and support is needed so individuals with CF can endure anticipated and unanticipated stressors including changes in physical health, healthcare, and societal stressors such as COVID-19 pandemic.

Biopsychosocial treatment response among youth with continuous headache: A retrospective, clinic-based study.

BACKGROUND: Youth with continuous (always present) headache are vastly understudied; much remains to be understood regarding treatment response in this population. OBJECTIVE: To describe and explore biopsychosocial factors related to initial clinical outcomes among treatment-seeking youth with continuous headache. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study extracted data of 782 pediatric patients (i.e., aged <18 years) with continuous headache from a large clinical repository. Youth in this study had experienced continuous headache for ≥1 month before presenting to a multidisciplinary headache specialty clinic appointment. Extracted data from this appointment included patients' headache history, clinical diagnoses, and headache-related disability, as well as information about biopsychosocial factors implicated in headache management and/or maintenance (e.g., healthy lifestyle habits, history of feeling anxious or depressed). Additional data regarding patient headache characteristics, disability, and lifestyle habits were extracted from a subset of 529 youth who returned to clinic 4-16 weeks after their initial follow-up visit. After characterizing initial treatment response, exploratory analyses compared youth with the best and worst treatment outcomes on several potentially influential factors. RESULTS: Approximately half of youth (280/526; 53.2%) continued to have continuous headache at follow-up, ~20% of youth (51/526) reported a significant (≥50%) reduction in headache frequency. Improvements in average headache severity (e.g., percentage with severe headaches at initial visit: 45.3% [354/771]; percentage with severe headaches at follow-up visit: 29.8% [156/524]) and headache-related disability were also observed (e.g., percentage severe disability at initial visit: 62.9% [490/779]; percentage severe disability at initial follow-up visit: 34.2% [181/529]). Individuals with the worst headache frequency and disability had a longer history of continuous headache (mean difference estimate = 5.76, p = 0.013) and worse initial disability than the best responders (χ2 [3, 264] = 23.49, p < 0.001). They were also more likely to have new daily persistent headache (χ2 [2, 264] = 12.61, p = 0.002), and were more likely to endorse feeling depressed (χ2 [1, 260] = 11.46, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: A notable percentage of youth with continuous headache show initial improvements in headache status. Prospective, longitudinal research is needed to rigorously examine factors associated with continuous headache treatment response.

Communication of pain intensity and unpleasantness through magnitude ratings: Influence of scale type, but not gender of the participant.

BACKGROUND: A critical aspect for most human pain research is the ability of participants to communicate their first-person, experiential perspective to a third-person observer. This communication is frequently accomplished via pain ratings. The scale type can influence the communication of pain experiences and can contribute to gender differences in pain. This study examined the role of gender on pain ratings using noxious and innocuous stimuli across two types of rating scales. METHODS: Healthy participants (n = 46) underwent noxious heat, auditory and visual stimulation paradigms. Pain intensity and unpleasantness ratings were collected using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and numerical rating scale (NRS). To determine if one rating scale allows a better report of small differences between different stimulus intensities, the sensitivity to small differences was calculated. RESULTS: Significant effects for rating scale were found for all stimulus modalities (noxious heat, auditory and visual, p < 0.001) with higher intensity and unpleasantness ratings for the NRS compared to the VAS. Overall, no effects of gender or interactions with gender were found. No differences in rating scale and gender were detected for sensitivity to small differences between stimuli. CONCLUSIONS: These findings confirm differences in rating scale usage; however, the different usage might not contribute significantly to gender differences in pain. SIGNIFICANCE: There are differences in the usage of rating scales in which ratings for auditory, visual and noxious somatosensory stimuli are higher with NRS compared to VAS. Choosing a rating scale for research or clinical use should take this different item functioning into account.

Health Competence Beliefs and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Adolescent and Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer and Healthy Peers.

Purpose: Adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors of childhood cancer are at risk for late-effects that can impact how one perceives their health and well-being. Understanding beliefs about health competence and well-being among survivors can help identify support needs and increase adherence to long-term follow-up guidelines. This study examined differences in health competence beliefs and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between AYA survivors of childhood cancer and matched healthy peers. In addition, the relationship between health competence beliefs and HRQOL, as well as the moderating effect of cancer survivorship, was investigated. Methods: Survivors (n = 49) and healthy peers (n = 54) completed measures about health competence beliefs (i.e., Health Perception, Cognitive Competence, Autonomy, and School/Work Functioning) and HRQOL. Multiple group analysis was used to investigate differences in health competence beliefs and HRQOL between survivors and peers. Multivariate multiple regression analyses were used to investigate the relationships between health competence beliefs and HRQOL. Finally, a history of cancer was examined as a possible moderator using additional multivariate multiple regression analyses. Results: Survivors reported significantly lower Health Perception, Cognitive Competence, Autonomy, and School/Work Functioning scores compared to healthy peers. Among both groups, Health Perception and Cognitive Competence scores were associated with multiple domains of HRQOL. These relationships were not moderated by having a history of cancer. Conclusions: Perceptions about one's health and cognitive abilities may impact HRQOL among AYA survivors of childhood cancer and health peers. Identifying those at risk for poor well-being may help to guide interventions aimed at increasing adherence to medical recommendations.

Spatial Tuning in Nociceptive Processing Is Driven by Attention.

When the source of nociception expands across a body area, the experience of pain increases due to the spatial integration of nociceptive information. This well-established effect is called spatial summation of pain (SSp) and has been the subject of multiple investigations. Here, we used cold-induced SSp to investigate the effect of attention on the spatial tuning of nociceptive processing. Forty pain-free volunteers (N = 40, 20 females) participated in this experiment. They took part in an SSp paradigm based on three hand immersions into cold water (5°C): Participants either immersed the radial segment ("a"), ulnar segment ("b") or both hand segments ("a+b") and provided overall pain ratings. In some trials based on "a+b" immersions, they were also asked to provide divided (ie, first pain in "a" then in "b"; or reversed) and directed attention ratings (ie, pain only in "a" or "b"). Results confirmed a clear SSp effect in which reported pain during immersions of "a" or "b" was less intense than pain during immersions of "a+b" (P < .001). Data also confirmed that spatial tuning was altered. SSp was abolished when participants provided two ratings in a divided fashion (P < .001). Furthermore, pain was significantly lower when attention was directed only to one segment ("a" OR "b") during "a+b" immersion (P < .001). We conclude that spatial tuning is dynamically driven by attention as reflected in abolished SSp. Directed attention was sufficient to focus spatial tuning and abolish SSp. Results support the role of cognitive processes such as attention in spatial tuning. PERSPECTIVE: This article presents experimental investigation of spatial tuning in pain and offers mechanistic insights of contiguous spatial summation of pain in healthy volunteers. Depending on how pain is evaluated in terms of attentional derivative (overall pain, directed, divided attention) the pain is reduced and spatial summation abolished.

Impact of preventive pill-based treatment on migraine days: A secondary outcome study of the Childhood and Adolescent Migraine Prevention (CHAMP) trial and a comparison of self-report to nosology-derived assessments.

OBJECTIVE: To examine group differences in self-reported migraine days among youth who completed the Childhood and Adolescent Migraine Prevention (CHAMP) trial prior to its closure and explore the relationship between self-reported and "nosology-derived" (i.e., International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition [ICHD-3]) migraine days. BACKGROUND: The CHAMP trial compared amitriptyline and topiramate to placebo for migraine prevention in youth and proposed to analyze change in migraine days as a secondary outcome. There is considerable variability in the field regarding what constitutes a "migraine day," how this is determined and reported in trials, and how consistent these measures are with diagnostic nosology. METHODS: CHAMP trial completers (N = 175) were randomized to receive amitriptyline (n = 77), topiramate (n = 63), or placebo (n = 35). Participants maintained daily headache diaries where they reported each day with headache and if they considered that headache to be a migraine. For each headache day, participants completed a symptom record and reported about symptoms such as pain location(s) and presence of nausea/vomiting or photophobia and phonophobia. We examined group differences in self-reported migraine days at trial completion (summed from trial weeks 20-24) compared to baseline. We also used an algorithm to determine whether participants' symptom reports met ICHD-3 criteria for migraine without aura, and examined the association between self-reported and "nosology-derived" migraine days. RESULTS: Results showed no significant differences between groups in self-reported migraine days over the course of the trial. Self-reported and "nosology-derived" migraine days during the baseline and treatment phases were strongly associated (r's = 0.73 and 0.83, respectively; p's < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Regardless of treatment, CHAMP trial completers showed clinically important reductions in self-reported migraine days over the course of the trial (about 3.8 days less). The strong association between self-reported and "nosology-derived" migraine days suggests youth with migraine can recognize a day with migraine and reliably report their headache features and symptoms. Greater rigor and transparency in the calculation and reporting of migraine days in trials is needed.