Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS Version 15
statistical software (SPSS, Chicago, IL). Descriptive information
about school absences, rates of homeschooling,
pain intensity, pain duration, depressive symptoms, and
psychiatric status were computed. The relationship
between potential confounding variables (age, socioeconomic
index, and pain duration) with school absences
depressive symptoms were first examined. Age, socioeconomic
index and pain duration were not found to be significantly
related to depressive symptoms or school absences.