The inability of some children to cope with the pain from severe burns may result in depressive withdrawal or death. An understanding of the emotional impact of pain on children is essential to improve their ability to cope. A pilot project with seriously burned children employed three dependent measures to identify children who cope adaptively with pain, including: (1) audiotaping of treatments and physical therapist judgments of the child's cooperativeness during debridement and hydrotherapy; (2) the child's rating of pain intensity during treatment; and (3) the child's pulse during treatment. Coping strategies were determined through a battery of psychological tests and structured interviews. Although definitive conclusions are not possible at this stage of the research, several trends are evident. Good copers are characterized by positive self-statements and seem better informed about pain. Poor copers have some effective means of dealing with pain and tend to respond well to cognitive behavioral treatments used on an individual basis. (Author/NRB)