Testing gender as a moderator of associations between psychosocial variables and functional disability in children and adolescents with chronic pain.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate gender as a moderator of associations between psychosocial variables and functional disability in children and adolescents with chronic pain.

METHOD

Participants included 266 patients (177 girls; mean age = 13.3 years) with chronic or recurrent headache or abdominal pain who were evaluated at a pediatric chronic pain clinic. Patients completed measures of pain intensity, anxiety, depression, pain coping, and functional disability. Parents completed a measure of protective behavior.

RESULTS

Girls and boys reported similar levels of pain intensity. Girls were more likely to endorse depressive symptoms, and internalizing symptoms were associated with disability in girls, not in boys. No gender differences were found in links between coping and protective parenting and disability.

CONCLUSIONS

In general, psychosocial factors influenced functional disability similarly in girls and boys, although some gender differences were found. Findings highlight the importance of considering child gender when evaluating factors that contribute to functional disability.