Psychological characteristics of children and adolescents with chronic non-malignant pain in the Slovenian rehabilitation program

Horvat Rauter, Barbara (author), Groleger Sršen, Katja (author), Vidmar, Gaj (author)

The prevalence of chronic non-malignant pain in the population of children and adolescents is increasing. This study aimed to describe the psychological characteristics of children and adolescents experiencing chronic non-malignant pain in Slovenia, where this population has not been thoroughly researched. Our sample comprised 37 individuals, referred to the outpatient therapy program at the children’s rehabilitation department of the national rehabilitation institute in the period from January 2019 to May 2024. The average age of the participants was 14.2 years. Each of them underwent a comprehensive psychological assessment. Our investigation focused on inter- and intrapersonal factors influencing pain experience. Within the realm of interpersonal factors, noteworthy aspects included belonging to a single-parent household, elevated family conflicts, parental mental health issues, and instances of peer violence. In the intrapersonal domain, findings revealed deficiencies in stress coping mechanisms, challenges with emotional regulation, and the presence of anxiety and depression symptoms. In general, the participants demonstrated a limited insight into their mood disturbances. Pain-questionnaire scores exhibited significant correlations with anxiety and depression symptoms, but not with pain characteristics. Given the pronounced level of depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as insufficient coping capacities, we believe that adopting relationship-based therapeutic approaches would be beneficial for children and adolescents with chronic non-malignant pain.

• Language: English
• Keywords: chronic non-malignant pain, children, psychological characteristics, adolescents
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 11 str.
• Numbering: Letn. 35
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-185447
• UDC: 159.96
• ISSN on article: 2350-5141
• DOI: 10.20419/2026.35.625
• COBISS.SI-ID: 284852739
• Publication date in RUL: 05.08.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Psihološka obzorja : slovenska znanstveno-strokovna psihološka revija
• Publisher: Društvo psihologov Slovenije, Društvo psihologov Slovenije, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 2350-5141
• COBISS.SI-ID: 271603200

Licences

• License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
• Description: This Creative Commons license is very similar to the regular Attribution license, but requires the release of all derivative works under this same license.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Psihološke značilnosti otrok in mladostnikov s kronično nerakavo bolečino v Sloveniji
• Keywords: kronična nerakava bolečina, otroci, mladostniki, psihološke značilnosti