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Children's adjustment to parental physical illness.
1School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6N5.
Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review
|April 28, 2001
Summary
Parental physical illness impacts child functioning, with children reporting more distress than parents indicate. Perceived stress, not illness severity, affects adjustment, especially in adolescent girls.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Pediatric Health
- Family Studies
Background:
- Parental physical illness is a significant stressor for families.
- Understanding its impact on child functioning is crucial for intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize empirical literature on how parental physical illness affects child functioning.
- To identify key factors influencing child adjustment in this context.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of empirical studies.
- Analysis of literature focusing on illness, individual, and family characteristics.
- Examination of child and parental reports.
Main Results:
- Children's self-reports show heightened distress, contrasting with parental reports of less problematic functioning.
- Perceived stressfulness of the illness is a stronger predictor of child adjustment than objective illness severity.
- Adolescent girls appear to be a high-risk group.
- Family variables like cohesion, conflict, and coping styles are significant predictors.
Conclusions:
- Child adjustment to parental physical illness is complex and influenced by subjective experiences.
- Family dynamics and coping mechanisms play a vital role in mitigating negative impacts.
- Targeted support for adolescent girls and families may be beneficial.