Factors related to school absenteeism in adolescents with recurrent headache.

Objective: To examine possible risk and protective factors for school absenteeism among adolescents referred to a hospital-based behavioral treatment program.

Design: Data obtained from intake interviews, screening questionnaires, and baseline headache diaries of 283 consecutive adolescents referred for behavioral treatment of recurrent headache were reviewed for demographics, length of headache history, headache type, current headache activity, symptoms of anxiety and depression, perceived self-efficacy regarding headache control, school performance, participation in extracurricular activities, and school absenteeism. The study population was divided into 2 groups at the median number of days missed due to headache in the previous 6 months that school was in session.

Comparative study of anxiety, depression, somatization, functional disability, and illness attribution in adolescents with chronic fatigue or migraine.

Objective: To compare adolescents with migraine, unexplained profound chronic fatigue of >6 months duration, and normal school controls on measures of anxiety, depression, somatization, functional disability, and illness attribution.

Methods: Adolescents referred to Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center for behavioral treatment of migraine (n = 179) or evaluation of chronic fatigue (n = 97) were compared with a group of healthy controls of similar age and sex from a middle school (n = 32). Subjects completed the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait Form, the Children's Depression Inventory, the Childhood Somatization Inventory, and estimated the number of school days missed in the past 6 months because of illness.

Behavioral management of childhood headache: a pilot study and case history report.

Many chronically recurrent disorders of children and adolescents are often unresponsive to standard medical therapy. The Stress and Headache Management Clinic was established as a prototype behavioral medicine clinic to provide integrated therapeutic modalities. Using biofeedback and relaxation/mental-imagery techniques, 119 patients with the chief complaint of recurrent headache were evaluated.