Children with chronic pain tend to score lower on standardised assessment tests (SATs)
The study - led by a researcher whose son experiences chronic pain - is the first in England to investigate the connection between the condition and how children perform in SATs in mainstream schools
The research highlights the need for better teacher understanding and training to support children with chronic pain
New research from the University of Portsmouth has found that children with chronic pain are more likely to get lower scores on the Standardised Assessment Test (SATs).
Published by the Journal of Health Psychology and funded by ESRC South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership (SCDTP) , the study revealed that school children are also more likely to miss classes, and have higher levels of anxiety and depression than children without chronic pain. The research suggests that school children are also more likely to miss classes and have higher levels of anxiety and depression than children without chronic pain.
The study is led by University of Portsmouth Postgraduate Researcher Claire Cornick, whose son suffers from chronic pain. It is the first in England to explore the link between chronic pain and performance on standardised tests taken by all children in mainstream schools at ages 10 and 11. It analysed online survey data from 148 parents of children aged 11-14, both with and without chronic pain.
Claire and fellow researchers found that children with chronic pain scored lower on SATs, missed more school, and had worse mental health than those without chronic pain - even after accounting for gender, socio-economic status, and special educational needs.
The study identified that children with chronic pain had an average attendance rate of around 86 per cent, nearly 10 per cent lower than the 95 per cent attendance rate of children without chronic pain. This highlights how children with chronic pain are more likely to miss school, which can affect their learning and ultimately their SATs scores.
The research also revealed that 61 per cent of parents identified their child's pain as the primary cause of most or all their absences. Children who miss significant amounts of school may also feel isolated, as they have fewer opportunities to engage with classmates and teachers, which can lead to feeling they are being left out of classroom activities.
As a result, these children are not only missing lessons but are also more likely to feel lonely and disconnected from their classmates, teachers, and school life.
Claire Cornick, from the University of Portsmouth's School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences and the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership , said: "What sets this study apart is the use of standardised outcomes. Most previous research relies on subjective measures, but this study used SATs taken by all Year 6 pupils in England.
"The research highlights how children with chronic pain had an average attendance below the government's benchmark, underscoring the significance of the issue."
The researchers found a substantial difference in mental health issues between children with chronic pain and those without. In 2020, approximately 16 per cent of children aged 5 to 16 were reported to have a mental health condition. In this study, which analysed data from children who sat their SATs in 2022, 2023, and 2024, 61.5 per cent of the chronic pain group reported regularly experiencing anxiety between 'a couple of times a month' to 'multiple times a day'.
This acknowledges that chronic pain and mental health are closely connected and can influence each other.
Claire continued: "This is a deeply personal topic for me, as my son experiences chronic pain. It's an issue that often goes unnoticed - it's invisible.
"Since chronic pain is having such a significant impact on school outcomes, we need to be talking about it more."
The study highlights the need for further research into teachers' and school staff's experiences and perceptions of chronic pain in the education setting to better understand its causes and impact on children, while also exploring how missing school affects the SATs scores of children with chronic pain.
It also emphasises the importance of understanding what teachers believe would help them better support children with chronic pain in their classrooms. This could inform the development of teacher training programmes that both validate children's experiences and teach effective coping strategies, enabling students to achieve their full academic potential.
"The way teachers respond can significantly affect a child's engagement in school - for better or worse," added Claire. "With research in this area continuing to grow, the next step is to develop clear, practical guidance for teacher training."
