A Model of the Intersection of Pain and Opioid Misuse in Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Despite being a significant public health concern, the role of opioid prescriptions in potentiating risk of opioid misuse in the context of pediatric pain has been underinvestigated. To address this gap, the present review identifies theory-based hypotheses about these associations, reviews the extant literature on opioid prescriptions that supports these hypotheses, and provides routes for future empirical studies. A multilevel model of mechanisms through which opioid prescriptions may impact pain and other negative outcomes in youth, including risk for opioid misuse and related problems, is proposed with particular attention paid to the role that psychologists can play in informing policies and developing preventative interventions in healthcare settings.