Background & Aims
The association between childhood adversity such as abuse, and the development of chronic pain in adulthood is well established [1]. In response, this study hypothesizes that individuals with chronic pain who are burdened by psychological distress and anger, may be more likely to engage in abusive behavior towards their children, an association that remains underexplored. Our aim was to examine the association between chronic pain and abusive behavior towards children.
Methods
A cross-sectional web survey was conducted in 2022 among a Japanese population, analyzing responses from 6,972 adults aged 20 or older with children aged 14 or younger. The survey addressed self-reported abusive behaviors (physical injury, neglect, violence, verbal insults, excessive educational pressure) in the past two months. “Yes, no, not sure, and prefer not to answer” were the response options, with “not sure” and “prefer not to answer” excluded from the primary analysis. A modified Poisson regression model with multivariate adjustment calculated the relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals for abusive behaviors among participants with current or past chronic pain versus those without.
Results
Approximately 8.7% of participants reported injuring a child, 2.7% reported neglecting to feed a child, 7.3% reported violence, 25.2% reported verbal abuse, and 3.5% reported excessive educational pressure. Participants with chronic pain had an approximately 30% increased risk of both injuring and insulting a child, with relative risks (RR) of 1.27 (95% CI: 1.04–1.55) and 1.26 (95% CI: 1.10–1.46), respectively. They were also more likely to neglect to feed the child and more likely to use violence against a child, although these findings were not statistically significant. Those with a past history of chronic pain were also more likely to engage in abusive behavior, but this association was statistically significant only in the context of insulting a child.
Conclusions
The present study suggests that individuals with chronic pain may be at an increased risk for abusive behavior towards their children, potentially positioning them as potential abusers. This finding highlights urgent need for targeted interventions to support families affected by chronic pain, ensuring the well-being of both the parents who suffer from chronic pain and their children.
References
1.NicolsonKP, et al. What is the association between childhood adversity and subsequent chronic pain in adulthood? A systematic review. BJA Open 2023;6:100139
2.Taft C, et al. Intimate Partner Aggression Perpetration in Primary Care Chronic Pain Patients. Violence Vict 2010;25:649-661.
Presenting Author
Naoki Mizunuma
Poster Authors
Topics
- Lifestyle Issues: Sleep/Diet/Exercise/Social Interactions