Pain Acceptance and Anxiety in Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease
Author
McMillan, Anna Elizabeth
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD), an inherited blood disorder, causes a patient’s red blood cells to form into a sickle shape and clot in the vessels. Individuals with SCD can suffer from severe pain due to the restricted flow of blood. Pain acceptance is a crucial component of a patient's quality of life. The ability to accept the pain that comes with SCD can enable patients to have more productive and fulfilling lives. Anxiety in adolescents with SCD can have a significant impact on their functionality and overall development. The many factors contributing to anxiety in adolescents can worsen when combined with the stress of having a chronic illness. The aim of the current study was to explore the relationship between pain acceptance and anxiety in a sample of adolescents with SCD. Data for the following study was collected at a children’s hospital in the Midwest. Participants included 30 adolescents, aged 12-18 years (M=14.5). The data set included male (46.7%) and female (53.3%) participants. Participants identified as either African American (85.2%) or biracial (14.8%). The Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ) a 20-item self-report measure, was used to gather data on pain acceptance in children. The Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale 44-item self-report measure was used to assess anxiety in children. Higher scores represent better ability to accept pain and higher levels of anxiety, respectively. A bivariate correlation between adolescent self-report scores on the CPAQ and SCAS showed no significant association between pain acceptance and anxiety in adolescents with SCD, r=.10, p>0.05. There is insufficient evidence to conclude a significant linear relationship between self-report scores on the SCAS and the CPAQ is present among adolescents with SCD. Limitations to this study included a narrow sample size. The influence of an unidentified third variable such as the development of strong coping skills or having already come to terms with the reality of their diagnosis could be present. Unknown contributing factors to participants’ anxiety could have potentially impacted results. Including, pain levels on the day of the survey and their mindset when taking the survey. Further research regarding contributors to high levels of anxiety in patients with SCD is needed to determine if additional factors influencing anxiety are present in their daily life. Potential examples include participants support systems or the type/severity of their SCD diagnosis.
Date
2023-05-02
Citation:
APA:
McMillan, Anna Elizabeth.
(May 2023).
Pain Acceptance and Anxiety in Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease
(Honors Thesis, East Carolina University). Retrieved from the Scholarship.
(http://hdl.handle.net/10342/12969.)
MLA:
McMillan, Anna Elizabeth.
Pain Acceptance and Anxiety in Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease.
Honors Thesis. East Carolina University,
May 2023. The Scholarship.
http://hdl.handle.net/10342/12969.
April 29, 2024.
Chicago:
McMillan, Anna Elizabeth,
“Pain Acceptance and Anxiety in Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease”
(Honors Thesis., East Carolina University,
May 2023).
AMA:
McMillan, Anna Elizabeth.
Pain Acceptance and Anxiety in Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease
[Honors Thesis]. Greenville, NC: East Carolina University;
May 2023.
Collections
Publisher
East Carolina University