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Accepted manuscript

Pain neuroscience education improves knowledge and satisfaction in adolescents with and without intellectual disabilities: a cross-sectional study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2025

Carlos Fernández-Morales Open the ORCID record for Carlos Fernández-Morales [Opens in a new window] ,
María de los Ángeles Cardero-Durán  and
Luis Espejo-Antúnez
Carlos Fernández-Morales
Affiliation:
Department of Medical-Surgical Therapy. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. University of Extremadura. Av/Elvas, no number, 06006 Badajoz, Spain.
María de los Ángeles Cardero-Durán*
Affiliation:
Department of Medical-Surgical Therapy. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. University of Extremadura. Av/Elvas, no number, 06006 Badajoz, Spain.
Luis Espejo-Antúnez
Affiliation:
Department of Medical-Surgical Therapy. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. University of Extremadura. Av/Elvas, no number, 06006 Badajoz, Spain.
*
*Corresponding author: María de los Ángeles Cardero-Durán, PhD E-mail: mcarderod@unex.es
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Abstract

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Objective:

To assess satisfaction and pain-related knowledge levels following an inclusive Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE) program in improving pain-related knowledge and perceived satisfaction among adolescents with and without intellectual disabilities, and to assess its applicability in digital health education settings.

Methods:

A multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted in 15 public schools. A total of 373 students (5th–6th grade), including those with intellectual disabilities, participated in a hybrid-format PNE program delivered in two 90-minute sessions. Satisfaction and knowledge were assessed using an adapted, easy-to-read questionnaire, with exploratory factor analysis identifying three core domains: activity format, teacher evaluation, and SDG-related training.

Results:

Overall satisfaction and knowledge gains were high across all participants. No significant differences were found between students with and without intellectual disabilities or between urban and rural schools in satisfaction and teacher evaluation. However, rural students reported greater awareness of the SDG-related content (p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

The adapted PNE program was well-received and associated with high levels of pain-related knowledge across diverse educational contexts. Its inclusive and hybrid design supports its potential scalability through digital health strategies, promoting equity in pain education.

Keywords

Pain Neuroscience EducationIntellectual DisabilitySchool HealthAdolescentsInclusive EducationDigital HealthHealth LiteracyeHealth

Information

Type
Original Article
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Accepted manuscript , pp. 1 - 29
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution and reproduction, provided the original article is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology