Martial Arts-Based Therapy Reduces Pain and Distress Among Children with Chronic Health Conditions and Their Siblings

Figures & data

Table 1 Participant Demographics

Overall (N = 59)	n	%
Sex
Female	26	44.1
Male	33	55.9
Subgroup
Cancer patients	19	32%
Non-cancer patients	17	29%
Healthy siblings	23	39%
	M	SD
Age (years)	10.1	2.8
Cancer Patients (n = 19)	n	%
Sex
Female	7	37%
Male	12	63%
Diagnosis
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia	11	30.6
Brain tumor	2	5.6
Neuroblastoma	2	5.6
Neurofibromatosis	1	2.8
Osteosarcoma	1	2.8
Rhabdomyosarcoma	1	2.8
Not specified	1	2.8
	M	SD
Age (years)	10.6	2.7
Non-Cancer Patients (n = 17)	n	%
Sex
Female	9	53%
Male	8	47%
Diagnosis	17	47.2
Sickle cell	7	19.4
Hemophilia	4	11.1
Pain clinic	1	2.8
Asthma	1	2.8
Diabetes	1	2.8
Chiari Malformation	1	2.8
Other hematological disorder	1	2.8
Nephrotic syndrome	1	2.8
	M	SD
Age (years)	10.7	2.8
Healthy Siblings (n = 23)	n	%
Sex
Female	10	56.5
Male	13	43.5
	M	SD
Age (years)	9.1	2.9

Figure 1 Distribution of pre- and post-class pain (A) and emotional distress (B), by group. Top row (panel (A)) indicates pre- and post-class pain. Bottom row (panel (B)) indicates pre- and post-class distress. The vertical axis indicates the portion of participants who reported pain or distress in each category. Only participants are shown who reported pre-class pain or distress (>0; N = 24 for pain, N = 18 for distress). Dashed bars indicate participants who reported no post-class pain or distress. Of note, post-class pain rating was missing for one participant (hemophilia patient), and post-class distress rating was missing for one participant (cancer patient).

Figure 2 Significant reduction in pain and distress over the course of one class. Overall average of pre- and post-class pain and emotional distress. *p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001.