Abstract:
Objective
Short term and longitudinal efficacy of a multimodal group treatment format for children and adolescents with primary headache (migraine and tension-type headache) in comparison to a waiting list control group with diary was examined. Treatment program consisted of a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy and modern hypnotherapy for the age groups of 5-10 and 11-17 years olds. Outcomes in intensity, frequency, and duration of headache, assessed with diaries were investigated for the two experimental conditions. Secondary variables were pain coping behavior, and stress coping behavior.
Design
A total of 98 children and adolescents (n = 46 female) with a mean age of 10.56 years were randomly assigned to treatment group (n = 75) or waiting control group (n = 23). A total of 63 had migraine (with and without aura) and 35 had tension type headache as primary diagnosis. Treatment condition consisted of eight 90-minute sessions, distributed into children and parent sessions. Participants of the control group kept headache diaries in times of treatment period. All children filled in headache diaries for a 4-week period prior to treatment, and for the similar length of time at post-treatment. Pain coping behavior and stress coping was assessed by questionnaire prior to and post treatment. Follow-up measurements for treatment group were realized at 3- and 6-month after treatment.
Results
Multimodal group treatment program showed effectiveness in treating frequency of headaches over intervention period, but we found no differential effects of treatment group and control group using averaged headache outcomes. Regarding treatment effects on the level of weekly measurements in diary outcomes, increasing differences between treatment and control was found in the weeks after intervention period. The duration of headaches remained unchanged. Effects remain stable in intensity and frequency over six month of follow-up. There was no change in pain coping behavior and stresscoping as a function of treatment.
Conclusion
The results support the use of a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy and hypnotherapy in the treatment of idiopathic pediatric headache. Further studies are needed to control our differential and longterm findings with a more disabled sample or with another intervention form such as progressive muscle relaxation.