Relations between anxiety sensitivity, somatization, and health-related quality of life in children with chronic pain.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To further understand the influence of psychological variables on pain and functioning in children with chronic pain by examining the relations between pain, anxiety sensitivity (AS), somatization, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and whether they vary as a function of age and gender. METHODS: 66 children (8-12 years) and adolescents (13-18 years) with chronic pain completed measures assessing pain intensity, AS (childhood anxiety sensitivity index), somatization (child somatization inventory), and HRQOL (pediatric quality of life inventory 4.0). RESULTS: Somatization was significantly related to higher pain intensity. Somatization significantly predicted HRQOL over and above pain. AS was a significant predictor of impaired HRQOL for children and females in the sample, but not for adolescents or males. CONCLUSION: Somatization and AS may be better predictors of HRQOL impairment than pain intensity in children with chronic pain. This may differ as a function of age and gender.