Relations Between Anxiety Sensitivity, Somatization, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Children With Chronic Pain

Objective To further understand the influence of psychological variables on pain and functioning in children with chronic pain by examining the relations between pain, anxiety sensitivity (AS), somatization, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and whether they vary as a function of age and gender. Methods 66 children (8-12 years) and adolescents (13-18 years) with chronic pain completed measures assessing pain intensity, AS (Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index), somatization (Child Somatization Inventory), and HRQOL (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0). Results Somatization was significantly related to higher pain intensity. Somatization significantly predicted HRQOL over and above pain. AS was a significant predictor of impaired HRQOL for children and females in the sample, but not for adolescents or males. Conclusion Somatization and AS may be better predictors of HRQOL impairment than pain intensity in children with chronic pain. This may differ as a function of age and gender.