| dc.description | This research examined the relations among variables related to a parents' pain experience, such as the frequency and severity of pain complaints and the impact of pain episodes on daily functioning, on similar variables in their children. Two studies were carried out. Study 1 was a prospective, epidemiological survey of pain complaints among 693 families with children (8--18 years old). Participants recorded all incidents of pain that occurred during a 7-day period in a diary. Results showed that children whose parents reported relatively more pain incidents, or more clinically severe incidents, were at increased risk of also reporting relatively more pain incidents and more clinically severe incidents. Similar findings were noted for disabling incidents. This study demonstrated that pain incidents tend to co-occur within families and provided support for the commonly held notion that pain "runs in families". The purpose of Study 2 was to determine whether observing a parent's reaction during a cold pressor test would have an impact on a child's pain threshold, pain-related facial activity, and ratings of pain intensity. Mother-child pairs (n = 96; 48 boys; M child age = 12.6 years, SD = 1.2 years) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups. With the child unaware, mothers were instructed to either minimize or exaggerate their display of pain during a cold-pressor task (10°C water, maximum duration of 4 minutes). Results showed that children whose mothers minimized their display of pain showed significantly less pain-related facial activity and lower ratings of pain threshold than those whose mothers exaggerated their display of pain, or control mothers. No between group differences were found on children's ratings of pain intensity. Findings from both of these studies suggest that social learning factors, such as modeling, have an impact on a child's pain behaviour. | en_US |
