title: Systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological therapies for children with chronic pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of psychological therapies for management of chronic pain in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trials of psychological interventions treating children (<18 years) with chronic pain conditions including headache, abdominal, musculoskeletal, or neuropathic pain were searched for. Pain symptoms, disability, depression, anxiety, and sleep outcomes were extracted. Risk of bias was assessed and quality of the evidence was rated using GRADE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  35 included studies revealed that across all chronic pain conditions, psychological interventions reduced pain symptoms and disability posttreatment. Individual pain conditions were analyzed separately. Sleep outcomes were not reported in any trials. Optimal dose of treatment was explored. For headache pain, higher treatment dose led to greater reductions in pain. No effect of dosage was found for other chronic pain conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evidence for psychological therapies treating chronic pain is promising. Recommendations for clinical practice and research are presented.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Department of Anaesthesiology & Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Clinical Health Psychology, University College London, and University College London Hospitals, and Psychology Department, Kings College London e.a.fisher@bath.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.affiliation: Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Department of Anaesthesiology & Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Clinical Health Psychology, University College London, and University College London Hospitals, and Psychology Department, Kings College London.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heathcote
authors.affiliation: Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Department of Anaesthesiology & Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Clinical Health Psychology, University College London, and University College London Hospitals, and Psychology Department, Kings College London.
authors.forename: Tonya M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Palermo
authors.affiliation: Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Department of Anaesthesiology & Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Clinical Health Psychology, University College London, and University College London Hospitals, and Psychology Department, Kings College London.
authors.forename: Amanda C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: de C Williams
authors.affiliation: Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Department of Anaesthesiology & Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Clinical Health Psychology, University College London, and University College London Hospitals, and Psychology Department, Kings College London.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Department of Anaesthesiology & Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Clinical Health Psychology, University College London, and University College London Hospitals, and Psychology Department, Kings College London.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eccleston
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: adolescents; children; chronic pain; psychological interventions