Psychosocial adjustment of children with chronic illness: an evaluation of three models

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Child Psychiatry
• Chronic Illness Research

Background:

• Chronic illnesses significantly impact children's social, emotional, and behavioral development.
• Existing models for understanding these impacts vary, necessitating evaluation of their effectiveness.
• A comprehensive understanding is crucial for targeted interventions and support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the psychosocial functioning of children with chronic illnesses.
• To evaluate three distinct models (discrete disease, noncategorical, mixed) of chronic illness impact.
• To determine the most effective model for classifying psychosocial outcomes in pediatric chronic illness.

Main Methods:

• Families of children with various chronic illnesses (cancer, sickle cell disease, hemophilia, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis) participated.
• Comparison peers (COMPs) without chronic illness were matched for age, race, and gender.
• Mothers, fathers, and children reported on social, emotional, and behavioral functioning using standardized measures like the Child Behavior Checklist and Children's Depression Inventory.

Main Results:

• The noncategorical model received substantial support from the study's findings.
• The discrete disease and mixed models showed less support compared to the noncategorical approach.
• Child functioning data aligned best with a model that does not strictly categorize by specific disease.

Conclusions:

• The noncategorical model appears most effective in describing the psychosocial functioning of children with chronic illnesses.
• The mixed model requires significant modifications to serve as a viable classification system.
• Future research should refine the noncategorical model and explore modifications for the mixed model.