Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Children With Functional Abdominal Pain and Their Parents Decreases Pain and Other Symptoms

• DOI: 10.1038/ajg.2010.106
• Publication Date: 2010-03-09T15:57:35Z
• Authors: Rona L Levy; Shelby L Langer; Lynn S Walker; Joan M Romano; Dennis L Christie; Nader Youssef; Melissa M DuPen; Andrew D Feld; Sheri A Ballard; Ericka M Welsh; Robert W Jeffery; Melissa Young; Melissa J Coffey; William E Whitehead
• Keywords: Pain catastrophizing

OBJECTIVES: Unexplained abdominal pain in children has been shown to be related parental responses symptoms. This randomized controlled trial tested the efficacy of an intervention designed improve outcomes idiopathic childhood by altering and children's ways coping thinking about their METHODS: Two hundred with persistent functional parents were randomly assigned one two conditions—a three-session cognitive-behavioral treatment targeting parents' complaints responses, or a educational that for time attention. Parents assessed at pretreatment, 1 week, 3 months, 6 months post-treatment. Outcome measures child parent reports levels, function, adjustment. Process included protective symptom methods. RESULTS: Children condition showed greater baseline follow-up decreases gastrointestinal severity (as reported parents) than comparison (time × interaction,P<0.01). Also, solicitous child's symptoms compared interaction,P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: An aimed reducing increasing skills is effective levels control condition.