Chronic Pain in Adolescents: The Predictive Role of Emotional Intelligence, Self-Esteem and Parenting Style

BACKGROUND: Pediatric chronic pain is prevalent and disabling. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of chronic pain among adolescents in Shiraz, Iran. We also compared emotional intelligence, self-esteem and parenting style between adolescents with chronic pain and healthy adolescents. Finally, we examined the predicting role of these variables regarding chronic pain in adolescents. METHODS: This cross-sectional study, from January to June 2018, was conducted on 734 adolescents in Shiraz. A clustering sampling method was used. Adolescents with chronic pain were identified by affirmative answers to screening questions based on the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11) criteria. Participants completed three validated self-report questionnaires: Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire, Rosenberg self-esteem scale and Baumrind parenting style questionnaire. The data were analyzed through SPSS v.22 software using Mann-Whitney and binary logistic regression tests. P<0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: There were 221(30.1%) adolescents who met the ICD-11 criteria of chronic pain. Mann-Whitney tests showed that emotional intelligence (P<0.001), self-esteem (P<0.001), authoritative parenting style (P=0.004), and authoritarian parenting style (P=0.006) were significantly different in adolescents with chronic pain compared to healthy adolescents. Binary logistic regression revealed that emotional intelligence (P<0.001), self-esteem (P<0.001), authoritarian parenting style (P=0.04) and authoritative parenting style (P=0.01) were significantly correlated with chronic pain after controlling for demographic variables. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that emotional intelligence, self-esteem and parenting styles could be important factors in development or maintenance of chronic pain in adolescents. The results have potential to be extended to future interventions for adolescents with chronic pain.