a Centre for Pain Research , University of Bath , Bath , UK.
b Department of Clinical and Health Psychology , Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium.
Psychol Health Med. 2017 Aug;22(7):800-807. doi: 10.1080/13548506.2017.1280175. Epub 2017 Feb 1.
Young people report frequent worry, but we know little about the extent, character, or consequence of worry in adolescence, or individual differences associated with worry. Adolescents with chronic pain are one population that are known to have high levels of anxiety, which is associated with higher levels of disability and depression, impairing function. In this study we report a diary study: adolescents (N = 60; aged 16-18) recorded their worry over seven days. Our first aim was to describe the characteristics of adolescent worry and its consequences in a community sample. Our second aim was to compare the experience of girls to boys, and to compare the experience of those with and without chronic pain. Adolescents reported characteristics of each worry they had throughout the week, including content, frequency, strength, interference, emotion, and the strength of emotion associated with worry content. Adolescents reported the consequence for each content and the strength of the consequence. Worry content and consequences were categorised into four categories; health, relationship, personal competence, and other. Adolescents reported 675 unique episodes of worry over the seven-day period that were predominantly about personal competence. The strength of worry content was (M = 6.61, SD = 1.27) and the strength associated with the worry consequence was (M = 5.59, SD = 1.41). Worries were not reported as highly interfering (M = 4.14, SD = 1.61). Contrary to predictions, there were no differences in worry characteristics between adolescents with and without chronic pain. To conclude, worry is a frequent occurrence in older adolescents and the characteristics of worry are discussed. Adolescents worry mostly about personal competence. Adolescents with and without chronic pain reported similar worry characteristics.
年轻人经常感到担忧，但我们对青少年担忧的程度、特征或后果，或与担忧相关的个体差异知之甚少。患有慢性疼痛的青少年是一个已知焦虑水平较高的人群，这与更高水平的残疾和抑郁有关，从而影响功能。在这项研究中，我们报告了一项日记研究：青少年（N=60；年龄 16-18 岁）记录了他们在七天内的担忧。我们的第一个目标是描述社区样本中青少年担忧的特征及其后果。我们的第二个目标是比较女孩和男孩的经历，以及比较有和没有慢性疼痛的青少年的经历。青少年报告了他们在一周内的每一次担忧的特征，包括内容、频率、强度、干扰、情绪以及与担忧内容相关的情绪强度。青少年报告了每一次担忧的后果以及后果的强度。担忧内容和后果被分为四个类别：健康、关系、个人能力和其他。青少年在七天内报告了 675 次独特的担忧事件，这些担忧主要是关于个人能力的。担忧内容的强度为（M=6.61，SD=1.27），与担忧后果相关的强度为（M=5.59，SD=1.41）。担忧并不被认为是高度干扰性的（M=4.14，SD=1.61）。与预测相反，有和没有慢性疼痛的青少年之间的担忧特征没有差异。总之，担忧在年长的青少年中经常发生，并且讨论了担忧的特征。青少年主要担心个人能力。有和没有慢性疼痛的青少年报告了类似的担忧特征。
