title: Connecting parents of children with chronic pain through art therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To help address the unique needs of parents of children with chronic pain, a four module, parent-only, group art therapy curriculum was designed and implemented within an interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation treatment program. We evaluated perceived satisfaction and helpfulness of the group intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-three parents of children experiencing chronic pain enrolled in a day hospital interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program participated. The voluntary parent art therapy group was offered one time per week for one hour. Participants completed a measure of satisfaction, helpfulness, and perceived social support at the end of each group session.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Parents enjoyed participating in the group, agreed that they would try art therapy again, and found it to be a helpful, supportive, and validating experience.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Initial results are promising that group art therapy is an appropriate and helpful means of supporting parents of children with chronic pain during interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School ; P.A.I.N. Group, Boston Children's Hospital, Center for Pain and the Brain, Harvard Medical School.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pielech
authors.affiliation: Division of Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School ; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School.
authors.forename: Christine B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Sieberg
authors.affiliation: Division of Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School ; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School ; P.A.I.N. Group, Boston Children's Hospital, Center for Pain and the Brain, Harvard Medical School.
authors.forename: Laura E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Simons
keywords: art therapy; child and adolescent; chronic pain; pain rehabilitation; parents; treatment intervention