The occurrence of maladaptive health-related behaviors and teacher-rated conduct problems in children of chronic low back pain patients.

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is often associated with a complex of behaviors in the patient which cause interference in adaptive functioning of both the patient and the patient's family. This study examined a group of children of CLBP patients, a control group of children of diabetic patients, and a general control group of children. The study supported the hypothesis that, as a group, children of CLBP patients would exhibit a higher frequency of behaviors hypothesized to be learned through observation of and interaction with a CLBP parent than would children in either of the control groups. Significant differences between the pain group and the control groups on each of the nine teacher-reported and child self-report measures were observed. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed.