Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Noncardiac chest pain (NCCP) is a common and persistent problem for children and adolescents; typically there is no clear medical cause. To date, no psychological intervention has been studied for chest pain in a pediatric sample. METHODS: (a) We developed a brief psychological treatment for chest pain and associated worry in children and adolescents with NCCP. This program includes psychoeducation, breathing retraining, cognitive coping strategies, and 1 session of parent education and coaching regarding the impact of reinforcement on pain and coping behaviors. (b) We treated 9 youngsters with chronic NCCP, assessing pain, somatization, disability, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and coping. Assessments were conducted before, after, and 6 months following treatment. RESULTS: After treatment, there was a significant decrease in chest pain and somatization. Benefits were maintained at 6-month follow-up. There was no decrease in associated psychological symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: A brief psychological treatment for pediatric NCCP is feasible to administer and may help alleviate symptoms of pediatric NCCP. Further study in a randomized trial is needed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 153-157 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Feb 2011 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Psychiatry and Mental health