Coping Strategies of Children in Pain

Abstract

A total of 214 children, 9–12 years of age, 100 hospitalized and 114 in school, participated in a study to describe their experience with pain. The children were asked to report what made them feel better when they had pain; 182 were able to identify at least one approach they used to cope with pain. Findings indicated that children could identify a variety of strategies for coping with pain. Girls more than boys and the school more than the hospitalized children reported a larger number and variety. There were also marked differences in the categories of coping strategies between the hospitalized and non-hospitalized and between boys and girls.