Vallentuna

About one in four children in Sweden experience chronic pain, and for about 5% of these young people, the pain significantly disrupts daily life, causing sleep issues, school absences, and less physical activity. This pain often occurs without an underlying disease or injury and is thought to be driven by problems in the pain system influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors. Current Swedish guidelines recommend cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for young people with chronic pain and major functional challenges, but more high-quality studies are needed to support these treatments. This research compares two internet-delivered treatments over nine weeks: a program starting with two weeks of Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE) followed by seven weeks of ACT focusing on psychological flexibility and exposure strategies, and a nine-week Pain Science Education (PSE) program aimed at changing how pain is understood. Both treatments include parallel online parent support addressing parenting behaviors to help families manage chronic pain better. The programs use text and multimedia content on a secure digital platform, with at least weekly clinician communication. Participants will be assessed at several time points, including before treatment, during, immediately after, and at follow-ups three weeks, six months, and twelve months post-treatment. Researchers will measure pain interference and examine changes in parental behavior, parenting stress, functioning, and quality of life. The study seeks to improve knowledge about online psychological treatments for adolescents with chronic pain and understand the processes behind treatment effects.