• Andreas Fors, Ulrika Wallbing, Gösta Alfvén, Mike K Kemani, Mari Lundberg, Helena Wigert, and Stefan Nilsson.
• Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
• Eur J Pain. 2020 Sep 1; 24 (8): 1598-1608.

BackgroundChronic pain among adolescents is common but effective interventions applicable in a school setting are rare. Person-centred care (PCC) is a key factor in improving health by engaging persons as partners in their own care.MethodsIn this randomized controlled trial, a total of 98 adolescents in secondary school or upper secondary school (aged 14 - 21 years) with chronic pain were randomly assigned to a PCC intervention or standard school healthcare. In the intervention group a pain management programme, based on a PCC approach, comprising four face-to-face sessions with a school nurse over a period of 5 weeks was added to standard school healthcare. The main outcome measure was self-efficacy in daily activities (SEDA scale) and rating scales for pain intensity and pain impact were used as secondary outcome measures.ResultsAt the follow-up, no significant differences were found between the groups in the SEDA scale (p = .608) or in the rating scales for pain intensity (p = .261) and pain impact (p = .836). In the sub-group analysis, a significant improvement in the SEDA scale was detected at the secondary school in favour of the PCC intervention group (p = .021).ConclusionIn this pain management programme based on a PCC approach, we found no effect in the total sample, but the programme showed promising results to improve self-efficacy in daily activities among adolescents at secondary school.SignificanceThis study evaluates the effects of a pain management programme based on a PCC approach in a school setting addressing adolescents at upper secondary and secondary schools with chronic pain. No overall effects were shown, but results illustrate that the intervention improved self-efficacy in adolescents at secondary school. Implementation of a PCC approach in a school setting may have the potential to improve self-efficacy in daily activities for adolescents with chronic pain at secondary school.© 2020 The Authors. European Journal of Pain published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Pain Federation - EFIC ®.

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