The Cold Pressor Test for the Pediatric Population: Refinement of Procedures, Development of Norms, and Study of Psychological Variables

Objective The aims of the study were: (a) to propose focal refinements to the cold pressor test (CPT) for the pediatric population, contributing to the development of subjective and behavioral norms; (b) to analyze the influence of personal (gender, age, and skin-fold thickness), and psychological (anxiety, depression, internalization, and externalization) variables on pain perception and its correlation with room temperature. Methods After a phase of adaptation in a water bath (24–27C), the child immersed one arm in cold water (10C) and reported pain threshold and tolerance. Results The test was conducted on 141 healthy children. Pain tolerance was reached within the first minute by 50% of the children. Pain intensity affected the children’s emotional status. Older children tolerated pain for longer. Gender, psychological, and environmental variables did not influence pain perception. Conclusion This study provides methodological refinements to the CPT contributing to the development of norms for children.