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This article reviews the various settings in which infants, children, and adolescents experience pain during acute medical procedures and issues related to referral of children to pain management teams. In addition, self-report, reports by others, physiological monitoring, and direct observation methods of assessment of pain and related constructs are discussed and recommendations are provided. Pharmacological, other medical approaches, and empirically supported cognitive behavioral interventions are reviewed. Salient features of the interventions are discussed, and recommendations are made for necessary components of effective treatment interventions.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2005.03.013 Byline: Tiina Piira (a)(b), Brett Hayes (b), Belinda Goodenough (b)(c), Carl L. von Baeyer (d) Keywords: Attention; Child; Cold-pressor; Coping; Distraction; Pain Abstract: This study assessed the relative efficacy of two imagery-based attentional strategies for modifying pain experience in children. Children aged 7-14 years (n=120) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: distraction, sensory-focussing or control (no imagery). The distraction condition prompted children to focus their attention externally; the sensory-focussing condition prompted the child to focus internally on physical sensations. Self-report measures of pain coping style preferences and imagery ability were completed. Children's pain tolerance and perceptions of pain intensity were assessed using a 10 [degrees]C cold-pressor task. Results showed pain intensity ratings after 1min were lower for both intervention conditions than for the controls. Younger children (7-9 years) showed higher pain tolerance in the distraction condition than in the sensory-focussing condition, whereas both interventions were equally effective for older children (10-14 years). Among older children, coping style interacted with the intervention type: in the sensory-focussing condition, pain tolerance was negatively associated with self-reported distraction-based coping style, whereas in the distraction condition this association was positive. The results are interpreted with reference to current models of attention. The implications for use of attentional strategies in helping children to cope with clinical pain are discussed. Author Affiliation: (a) Pain Research Unit, Sydney Children's Hospital, High Street, Randwick NSW 2031, Australia (b) School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (c) Centre for Children's Cancer & Blood Disorders, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, Australia (d) Departments of Psychology and Pediatrics, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada Article History: Received 12 January 2004; Revised 6 March 2005; Accepted 6 March 2005

This study sought to investigate cognitive-behavioural predictors of children's tolerance for laboratory-induced cold-pressor pain. It was hypothesised that pain tolerance, as measured by immersion time, would be greater in children who were high in self-efficacy for pain, high in self-reported use of cognitive-coping strategies, and low in emotion-focused coping strategies such as catastrophising. Age and sex differences were also examined in post hoc analyses. Children between the ages of 7 and 14 years (N=53) participated in the study. Offering partial support for the hypotheses, use of cognitive distraction was found to be associated with greater pain tolerance, while use of internalising/catastrophising was associated with lower pain tolerance. Older boys tended to have greater pain tolerance than younger boys, whereas younger and older girls had intermediate pain tolerance levels. Self-efficacy for pain, in general, was found to be positively correlated with age. The results support efforts to identify children who, because they have lower confidence or lower skills in coping with distress, may need extra support and preparation for painful procedures. Further research is needed to investigate these findings within a clinical pain context. Keywords: Pain; Cold-pressor; Children; Coping; Tolerance

An evaluation of a model of dieting is examined through a survey of approximately 1,000 girls from Australian high schools. The results showed strong support for the model, which includes the social and parental influences on dieting in young girls.

Australian research into the refining of a structural model for use in predicting dieting status indicated that systematic analysis is vital. Some 1,644 schoolgirls from a variety of schools participated in a survey which involved answering questions on their dieting status and lifestyle. Whilst analysis indicated that social influences had a great deal of influence on the desire to diet, competitiveness from other young girls was the most influential factor.

Abstract: Objectives: Specific potential determinants of infant pain response were assessed in the context of a 4- or 6-month immunization injection. The distal influences of gender, gestational and current age, temperament, and early nociceptive stimuli were considered, as well as the proximal influences of parental and nurse coping-promoting statements within the treatment room. Study design: An observational study design was used. Pain responses in 93 infants receiving an immunization injection were videoed and coded using the Neonatal Facial Coding System (NFCS) and duration of crying was recorded. Parent and nurse vocalizations were coded using the Child–Adult Medical Procedure Interaction Scale-Revised. Results: A multiple regression analysis evaluated the influence of the 5 distal and 2 proximal factors on NFCS scores, and found parental coping-promoting statements in the 30 s period before the injection to have the strongest effect on facial pain response (p <0.01). Parents made significantly more coping-promoting statements (p <0.05), and generally talked more (p <0.05), to female infants than male infants. Conclusions: The findings suggest that parental behavior in the treatment room has a key role in influencing how infants respond to painful procedures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: This paper describes the development and the psychometric properties of a new measure designed to assess dieting-related competitiveness among adolescent girls. Method: Three samples of girls completed the DPC and several other scales. Data analyses examined scale content and structure, and reliability and validity of the DPC. Results: The Dieting Peer Competitiveness (DPC) scale has a coherent and easily interpretable 2-factor structure. The measure has good reliability (internal consistency, test–retest, and split-half) and validity (convergent, divergent, and discriminant). In addition, with increasing commitment to dieting, competitiveness scores significantly increased. Conclusions: The new 2-Factor Dieting Peer Competitiveness (DPC) scale assesses the degree to which an individual compares her appearance, and what she eats (or avoids) with that of her friends. DPC scores are useful for distinguishing between serious and non-serious dieters. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on a study which examined the direct effects of patient health factors and carer cognitive factors on carer negative affect. Method used in the study; Results and discussion.