Children With Recurrent Abdominal Pain: Comparison of Community and Tertiary Care Samples

Abstract

Abstract This article examines and compares psychosocial characteristics across 2 samples of children with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP). A tertiary care sample (n = 39) and a community sample (n = 47) of children meeting established criteria for identifying RAP were compared. Multiple independent statistical comparisons suggested that the samples were similar across many dimensions, including parent- and child-rated child somatization, functional disability, and parent-rated child psychopathology. However, parents of children in the tertiary care sample rated their children as experiencing more severe pain currently as well as in the past 2 weeks. Furthermore, child-rated pain was significantly different across the samples, with children in the tertiary care sample reporting more frequent pain episodes, longer pain episodes, and more severe pain. Description of these sample characteristics helps to better understand important psychosocial similarities and differences between the two samples. The results are discussed with respect to referral patterns and consideration of treatment approaches across settings.