Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2019 Jan 6:2019:8629581.
doi: 10.1155/2019/8629581. eCollection 2019.

Topical Review: Basic Psychological Needs in Adolescents with Chronic Pain-A Self-Determination Perspective

Annina Riggenbach  1 , Liesbet Goubert  2 , Stijn Van Petegem  1 , Rémy Amouroux  1
Affiliations
Review

Topical Review: Basic Psychological Needs in Adolescents with Chronic Pain-A Self-Determination Perspective

Annina Riggenbach et al. Pain Res Manag. .

Abstract

This topical review outlines the resilience pathway to adaptive functioning in pediatric pain within a developmental perspective. Self-Determination Theory proposes that the satisfaction of one's basic psychological needs (for autonomy, relatedness, and competence) is crucial for understanding human flourishing and healthy development. However, the role of the basic psychological needs received little attention in a pediatric-pain population. Yet, we propose that need satisfaction may be a resilience factor and need frustration a risk factor, for living with chronic pain. In this topical review, we first discuss two major models that have been developed to understand pain-related disability: the fear-avoidance model of pain and the ecological resilience-risk model in pediatric chronic pain. Both models have been used with children and adolescents but do not include a developmental perspective. Therefore, we introduce Self-Determination Theory and highlight the potentially moderating and mediating role of the basic needs on pain-related disability in children and adolescents. Taken together, we believe that Self-Determination Theory is compatible with the fear-avoidance model of pain and the ecological resilience-risk model in pediatric chronic pain and may deepen our understanding of why some adolescents are able to live adaptively in spite of chronic pain.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A Developmental Goal Pursuit Model of Chronic Pain. Need satisfaction facilitates goal pursuit while need frustration leads to avoidant behaviors. A need-supportive context improves needs satisfaction.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Perquin C. W., Hazebroek-Kampschreur A. A., Hunfeld J. A., et al. Pain in children and adolescents: a common experience. Pain. 2000;87(1):51–58. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3959(00)00269-4. - DOI - PubMed
    1. King S., Chambers C. T., Huguet A., et al. The epidemiology of chronic pain in children and adolescents revisited: a systematic review. Pain. 2011;152(12):2729–2738. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2011.07.016. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Huguet A., Miró J. The severity of chronic pediatric pain: an epidemiological study. Journal of Pain. 2008;9(3):226–236. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2007.10.015. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Hunfeld J. A., Perquin C. W., Duivenvoorden H. J., et al. Chronic pain and its impact on quality of life in adolescents and their families. Journal of Pediatric Psychology. 2001;26(3):145–153. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/26.3.145. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Eccleston C., Wastell S., Crombez G., Jordan A. Adolescent social development and chronic pain. European Journal of Pain. 2008;12(6):765–774. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpain.2007.11.002. - DOI - PubMed