Coping with anxiety and pain by adolescents with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Bożena Banasiak, Elżbieta Smolewska, Agnieszka Zygmunt, Joanna Lipińska, Małgorzata Biernacka-Zielińska, Jerzy Stańczyk
Med Sci Tech 2010; 51(1): 1-5
ID: 881236
Available online:
Published: 2010-06-01
Introduction: Our study was aimed at defining relationship between pain
symptoms and level of anxiety and stress coping strategies of adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).
Material and methods: Thirty patients, aged 12-19, with JIA diagnosed within last 2 years participated in the study. Intensity of pain was assessed based on VAS scale while activity of rheumatological process - on modified Wilkoszewski criteria. Psychological methodology included Coping Inventory for Stressful Situation (CISS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and psychological conversation.
Results: Obtained results revealed statistically significant relationship between high level of experiencing pain and high level of anxiety. Moreover, it was found that patients with high level of experiencing pain cope with stress by concentrating on emotions or avoiding difficult situation.
Conclusions: Based on conducted study, it seems that psychological support of adolescents with JIA is extremely important in order to effectively cope with stress connected with chronic disease.
Keywords: Anxiety, Pain, coping stress, juvenile idiopatic arthritis, adolescents
