Psychological aspects of painful medical conditions in children. II. Personality factors, family characteristics and treatment.

In part II of a two-part series, the psychological aspects of painful medical conditions and their treatment are reviewed. While considerable attention has been devoted to the study of personality, family characteristics, treatment of recurrent abdominal pain, growing pains and headaches, with few exceptions these studies have significant methodological problems. Studies of the psychological aspects of pain associated with such pediatric disorders as cancer, sickle cell anemia, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and burns are generally only beginning to emerge, but at least a few of the single-case studies show appropriate attention to methodology. Areas needing further research are discussed.