What question did this study set out to answer?

This investigation aims to explore how childhood experiences, specifically parental upheaval, influence pain-related thoughts in adulthood.

April 27, 2026Frontiers in Pain Research0 citationsOpen Access

Parental upheaval experienced in childhood and its effect on pain-related cognitions across the lifespan: an exploratory investigation

CCCaitlin CurrySimmons University GCGuillermo Ceniza-BordalloHarvard University ECEmma CostelloMassachusetts General Hospital

Puntos clave

This investigation aims to explore how childhood experiences, specifically parental upheaval, influence pain-related thoughts in adulthood.
65 individuals with chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) participated in a cross-sectional analysis.
Participants provided self-reported data on childhood trauma and pain perception.
Participants were divided into upheaval (n=18) and non-upheaval (n=47) groups based on their parental upheaval status.
The upheaval group exhibited a more interconnected pattern with pain-related thoughts and somatic arousal, contributing to pain interference.
In the non-upheaval group, pain catastrophizing was the primary factor affecting pain interference.
Across all participants, pain catastrophizing emerged as the most significant variable related to CPSP development.

Resumen

Background Chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP), pain lasting at least three months past the expected recovery time of a surgery, affects up to 30% of post-surgical populations. It is multifaceted and influenced by biological and psychological factors. One such factor is exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), with previous research indicating that exposure to a greater number of ACEs increases the risk of chronic pain development. One of the most frequently experienced types of ACEs is parental upheaval, including divorce and separation, yet its impact on pain-related cognitions and experiences remains understudied. Methods 65 individuals with CPSP were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Individuals provided self-reported data on their childhood trauma history, as well as measures related to pain perception. Individuals were sorted into two groups based on parental upheaval status: upheaval ( n = 18) and non-upheaval ( n = 47). Results Participants in the upheaval group demonstrated a more globally connected pattern with pain-related cognitions, anxiety, and somatic arousal contributing to pain interference, while in the non-upheaval group, pain catastrophizing was the central factor influencing interference. Across the sample, pain catastrophizing not parental upheaval status was the most significant variable related to CPSP development. Finally, age and perceived trauma intensity (of the parental upheaval) were positively correlated. Conclusion CPSP is a complex condition and warrants biopsychosocial research to elucidate the mechanisms contributing to its onset and maintenance. This study indicates that parental upheaval, one of the more common traumatic events that can happen in childhood, may play an indirect role in pain experiences, potentially increasing vulnerability to maladaptive pain-related cognitions. These findings highlight the importance of considering the influence of ACEs and how they can impact development and subsequently lead to pain-related outcomes across the lifespan.

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