Impact of Parental Acute Psychological Distress on Young Child Pain-Related Behavior Through Differences in Parenting Behavior During Pediatric Burn Wound Care

Pediatric burn injuries and subsequent wound care can be painful and distressing for children and their parents. This study tested parenting behavior as a mediator for the relationship between parental acute psychological distress and child behavior during burn wound care. Eighty-seven parents of children (1–6-years-old) self-reported accident-related posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), pre-procedural anxiety, general anxiety/depression symptoms, and guilt before the first dressing change. Parent–child behavior was observed during the first dressing change. Mediation analyses identified three indirect effects. Parental PTSS predicted more child distress, mediated through parental distress-promoting behavior. Parental guilt predicted more child distress, mediated through parental distress-promoting behavior. Parental general anxiety/depression symptoms predicted less child coping, mediated through less parental coping-promoting behavior. Parents with accident-related psychological distress have difficulty supporting their child through subsequent medical care. Nature of parental symptomology differentially influenced behavior. Increased acute psychological support for parents may reduce young child procedural pain-related distress.