ABSTRACT
Persistent pain continues to have a constant and debilitating effect on the lives of those who have it and on those around them. Those who experience persistent pain, or who are closely associated with a young person living with persistent pain, know it can affect nearly every aspect of their life: mood; the ability to sleep; concentration, and hence academic perform ance. Adolescents with persistent pain are exposed to a higher number of adults with pain behaviour. The population of adolescents with persistent pain has factors that determine or maintain chronic pain. There is evidence for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a treatment for individuals with chronic or persistent pain. CBT focuses on providing information on the condition and on the relationship between thoughts, body responses and behaviour. The cognitive-behavioural perspective on chronic pain is that individuals actively seek to make sense of their experience by appraising their condition.
