The Occurrence of Recall Bias in Pediatric Headache: A Comparison of Questionnaire and Diary Data

Abstract

Recall errors occur when children are asked to report their headaches on a retrospective questionnaire. As compared to a prospective diary, pain complaints are evaluated more negatively on a questionnaire. Other factors such as age, depression, and headache severity influence the way children and adolescents recall their headaches. To minimize bias, the use of a diary when studying recurrent headache complaints in children is recommended.