The longitudinal association between pre-conception maternal perceptions of pain and perceived offspring pain responsivity in infancy

Objective. This study aimed to understand the extent to which pre-conception maternal perceptions of pain are associated with future parental perception of their infant’s response to injury.Methods. Participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) self-reported pre-conception maternal perceptions of pain at age 18. When they became parents, they reported their infant’s responsivity to injury (N=84) and uncomfortable procedures (dirty nappy, N=73) at 6 months old. Logistic regression examined the association between pre-conception perceptions of pain and infant responsivity to injury and uncomfortable procedures, controlling for maternal pre-conception anxiety.Results. Analysis indicated an almost four-fold increase in parental perception of infant reactivity to injury where parents held perceptions of pain as harmful at age 18 (OR = 5.95, p = .001). There was no evidence that parental perceptions of pain at age 18 influenced the likelihood of reporting their infant could be calmed if fussing about a dirty nappy (OR = 1.34, p = .686). Conclusions. This study indicates that pain schemas in young adults may pose a risk of parental reinforcement of, and attention to, pain, and greater perceived infant responsivity to pain. Managing pre-conception appraisals of pain could mitigate the impact and progression of unhelpful pain-related cognitions.