Fenelon, E., McCracken, K., Bieniak-Fortier, K., Crosby, C., Paredes Cienega, P., Tran, S. (2025, April 3-5). “You Will Be Fine”: Exploring Pain Dismissal Among Emerging Adults with Chronic Pain [Poster Presentation]. Society of Pediatric Psychology Annual Convention, Phoenix, AZ, United States. 

Abstract

Introduction: 12% of emerging adults ages 18 to 25 experience chronic pain. Pain dismissal, when someone’s pain is disbelieved or ignored, tends to be an isolating experience. The current study explores our understanding of pain dismissal among emerging adults. 

Method: Participants were undergraduate students with chronic pain (age M = 19.58, SD = 1.42, range = 18-25, N = 229) at a private Midwestern United States university. Most participants identified as women (n = 197, 86.0%) and BIPOC, or non-white (n = 132, 57.6%). Participants reported if they had pain, if their pain had been dismissed, who had dismissed their pain, what was said, how the pain dismissal made them feel, and how bothered they were by the dismissal. Open-ended questions were coded independently by three coders. 

Results: Those that experienced pain dismissal (n = 97) had worse pain intensity (M = 3.48, SD = 1.85) compared to those that had not been dismissed (n = 132, M = 14.72, SD = 8.21; t(225) = 2.27; p = .024). Medical professionals (n = 53, 45.69%) and caregivers/parents (n = 43, 37.07%) most frequently dismissed participants’ pain. Some dismissal responses included “’it’s normal for women,” “that [participant was] being dramatic,” and “[participant was] lying.” Themes that emerged regarding how pain dismissal made people feel included “upset,” “angry/annoyed,” and “sad.” Exemplar participant responses included that they felt “invalid and overdramatic” and “like [their] feelings weren’t worth anything”. Mean scores suggested that those whose pain was dismissed were often bothered by it (M = 6.78, SD = 2.33, 0 = not at all bothered, 10 = extremely bothered).  

Discussion: Pain dismissal often comes from medical providers and caregivers and bothers emerging adults a great amount. It is important to educate providers, caregivers, and others on how to respond appropriately to EA chronic pain.