Chronic Abdominal Pain

Chronic Abdominal Pain is defined as "intermittent or constant abdominal pain of at least 3 months duration" (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2005). It is the most common form of complaint across childhood. Life stress is thought to influence pain and disability in chronic abdominal pain patients. However, because most studies are cross-sectional, we do not have empirical evidence of the degree to which life stress may impact these individuals. Currently, prospective research aims to look at chronic pain patients over a longer span of time. It is expected that patients who experience an increased number of stressful life events over a long period of time will have greater pain and disability than chronic pain patients who experience fewer stressful life events during the same time period. It is also expected that personal competence will moderate the effects of life stress on these individuals, such that life stress will be associated with poorer outcomes in patients with low competence compared to those with high competence.