title: The relation of social functioning to school impairment among adolescents with chronic pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To further our understanding of social functioning in children with chronic pain, and particularly how social functioning relates to school impairment in this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study involved 126 adolescents (12 to 17 y) evaluated at a multidisciplinary pain clinic. Adolescents completed measures assessing social functioning, pain, physical limitations, somatic symptoms, and school impairment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lower social functioning scores were significantly associated with pain, physical limitations, somatic symptoms, and school impairment. Social functioning mediated the relations between adolescents' pain experience (ie, pain, physical symptoms, physical limitations) and school impairment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings highlight the importance of assessing and addressing social functioning in youth with chronic pain. Future research targeting school impairment should include evaluating the potential role that peer difficulties may play.
authors.affiliation: Pain Treatment Service Pediatric, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Laura.Simons@childrens.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Laura E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Simons
authors.forename: Deirdre E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Logan
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chastain
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires