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Association of parental psychological and behavioral factors and children's syncope
J A Morris1, R L Blount, R T Brown
1Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens 30602-3013, USA.
Insights
Parental psychological distress, including shortness of breath and depression, is linked to childhood syncope (fainting) and emergency room visits. These associations were observed in both boys and girls, with specific parental factors correlating with syncope frequency.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Child Psychology
- Family Studies
Background:
- Child syncope, or fainting, is a common pediatric concern.
- Neurocardiogenic syncope (NCS) is a frequent cause of fainting in children and adolescents.
- The influence of parental factors on pediatric syncope requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the associations between parental psychological variables and the frequency of syncope and emergency room (ER) visits in children.
- To explore gender-specific relationships between parental factors and child syncope.
- To investigate the impact of family structure (biological vs. stepfamilies) on these associations.
Main Methods:
- Participants included 56 children aged 7–18 undergoing tilt-table testing for suspected syncope.
- Parental psychological distress, depressive symptoms, and shortness of breath were assessed.
- Data were analyzed to identify correlations between parental variables and child syncope/ER visit frequency, considering gender and family structure.
Main Results:
- Fathers' psychological distress and shortness of breath correlated with syncope frequency and ER visits in girls.
- Mothers' psychological distress, depressive symptoms, and shortness of breath correlated with syncope frequency and ER visits in boys.
- Parental psychological factors showed stronger correlations with syncope in children diagnosed negative for NCS and in stepfamilies compared to intact biological families.
Conclusions:
- Parental psychological factors play a significant role in childhood syncope.
- The findings highlight the importance of considering parental mental health and family dynamics in managing pediatric syncope.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these associations and inform clinical interventions.
Abstract:
The authors examined the associations between parental variables and child syncope (fainting). Children ages 7 to 18 years undergoing tilt-table testing for neurocardiogenic syncope (NCS) at a pediatric cardiac center served as participants (N = 56). Results revealed that fathers' shortness of breath and overall psychological distress were significantly related to syncope frequency and emergency room (ER) visits for girls. Mothers' overall psychological distress, depressive symptoms, and shortness of breath were associated with boys' frequency of syncope and ER visits. Fathers' psychological factors were highly correlated with syncope for the children diagnosed negative for NCS. The frequency of children's syncope was higher in stepfamilies than in homes with both biological parents, and the correlations between children's syncope and the stepfathers' psychological symptoms were greater than for the children and their biological fathers in intact families. The role of parental psychological factors on child syncope is supported.