Relationships Between Abdominal Pain, Mental Health, and Functional Disability in Youth With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Pain Catastrophizing as a Longitudinal Mediator

This study aimed to examine pain catastrophizing as a potential mediator of the relationship between abdominal pain and adverse outcomes in youth with IBDs. Methods: Seventy six youth (ages 11 to 18; M [SD] age=14.71 [1.80]) with IBD completed the Abdominal Pain Index (T1), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (T2, week 12), Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale (T3, week 20), and Functional Disability Inventory (T3, week 20). Results: Catastrophizing mediated the relationship between abdominal pain and both anxiety symptoms (b=1.61, Bias-Corrected Accelerated [BCa] CI, 0.25, 4.62) and functional disability (b=0.77, BCa CI, 0.15, 2.38). A direct effect of abdominal pain on low mood was also noted (b=1.17, BCa CI, 0.03, 2.50). Post hoc analyses examining mediation via catastrophizing subscales indicated that while magnification and rumination functioned as mediators, helplessness did not. Discussion: Findings are consistent with fear avoidance models and suggest that interventions directed at pain catastrophizing may be worthwhile in pediatric IBD populations, given catastrophizing-mediated relationships between pain and mental and physical health outcomes.
Source: The Clinical Journal of Pain - Category: Anesthesiology Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research