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Journal of Pediatric Psychology Advance Access originally published online on October 9, 2008
Journal of Pediatric Psychology 2009 34(7):749-759; doi:10.1093/jpepsy/jsn107
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© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

The Cold Pressor Test for the Pediatric Population: Refinement of Procedures, Development of Norms, and Study of Psychological Variables

Manuela Trapanotto, PhD1, Giorgio Pozziani, Clin Psychol1, Egle Perissinotto, SD2, Sara Barbieri, MD1, Franco Zacchello, Prof1 and Franca Benini, MD1

1Department of Pediatrics, and 2Institute of Hygiene, University of Padua

All correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Manuela Trapanotto, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Pain Service,Via Giustiniani, 3, 35128 Padua, Italy. E-mail: manuela.trapanotto{at}unipd.it


  Abstract

Objective The aims of the study were: (a) to propose focal refinements to the cold pressor test (CPT) for the pediatric population, contributing to the development of subjective and behavioral norms; (b) to analyze the influence of personal (gender, age, and skin-fold thickness), and psychological (anxiety, depression, internalization, and externalization) variables on pain perception and its correlation with room temperature. Methods After a phase of adaptation in a water bath (24–27°C), the child immersed one arm in cold water (10°C) and reported pain threshold and tolerance. Results The test was conducted on 141 healthy children. Pain tolerance was reached within the first minute by 50% of the children. Pain intensity affected the children's emotional status. Older children tolerated pain for longer. Gender, psychological, and environmental variables did not influence pain perception. Conclusion This study provides methodological refinements to the CPT contributing to the development of norms for children.

Key words: children; cold pressor test; pain perception; pain threshold; pain tolerance.

Received April 6, 2008; revision received September 12, 2008; accepted September 15, 2008


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