Role of Parent-Child Pain Communication in Adolescent Dysmenorrhea

Title: Role of Parent-Child Pain Communication in Adolescent Dysmenorrhea

Description: Menstrual pain affects over 90% of adolescents and has negative impacts on academics, peer relationships, and mental health. Long-term consequences can include risk of chronic pain and financial income loss. Pain is increasingly being recognized as a social experience, with interpersonal relationships and the communication of pain (e.g., observer responses to pain) playing a key role in pain experiences. For example, parent factors such as empathic distress, emotion regulation, and pain, are known to negatively impact child pain-related outcomes but have not been investigated in the context of menstrual pain. The current study aims to: 1) examine what, and how, parent-youth factors are associated with youth menstrual pain; and 2) to understand aspects of menstrual pain interactions between parents and youth and how they may impact adolescent menstrual pain. 85 parent-youth dyads who menstruate will be recruited to complete an online questionnaire inquiring about demographics, menstrual pain, thoughts about pain, empathy, and emotion regulation to investigate if, and how, parent factors are associated with youth menstrual pain severity. Additionally, dyads may choose to complete daily diaries that inquire about real-time menstrual pain experiences and interactions between parents and youth. This study is the first to examine the role of parent-youth factors in menstrual pain.

Specifics: Study Population:
Live in Canada and speak English
Youth: Aged 12-25, at least 3 regular menstrual cycles (21-35 days), and experience menstrual pain
Parents: be the biological parent/legal guardian to the youth participant and living with the youth ≥50% of the time

Participant Obligation:
Dyads can participate in one of two study options:
1) One online questionnaire (30-45 minutes) OR
2) One online questionnaire (30-45 minutes) and 30 daily diaries (~5 minutes)
Involves chances to win gift cards and compensation for daily diaries.

Location: Online - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Project lead: Dr. Michelle Gagnon, Ph.D., R.D. Psych

Study Dates: March 6, 2026 to June 3, 2026

Study Website: https://familyhealthlab.com/teenhealth