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Psychopathology in children from families with blood disorders: a cross-national study
C Clemente1, J Tsiantis, H Sadowski
1Convenor Biomed Group, Leopold Muller Centre for Child and Family Mental Health Research, Royal Free and University College Medical School, Tavistock Centre, London, United Kingdom.
Insights
Children with beta-thalassaemia show higher rates of psychiatric disorders and functional impairment compared to those with haemophilia. Maternal relationship quality also impacts child psychopathology in these families.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Hematology
- Child Psychiatry
- Genetics
Background:
- Investigating psychiatric disorder prevalence in siblings of children with inherited blood disorders.
- Comparing affected and unaffected siblings within families with haemophilia and beta-thalassaemia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in children with haemophilia and beta-thalassaemia.
- To assess the impact of these blood disorders on children's general functioning and psychopathology.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional, multi-center study of 115 families with blood disorders.
- Data collection via parental interviews (sociodemographic, developmental) and clinician records (medical data).
- Child psychopathology assessed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS).
Main Results:
- Children with beta-thalassaemia were twice as likely to have psychiatric disorders and showed greater functional impairment.
- No significant association found between clinical severity of haemophilia/beta-thalassaemia and psychiatric disorders.
- Maternal perception of a difficult child relationship predicted psychopathology.
Conclusions:
- Beta-thalassaemia is associated with a higher prevalence of psychopathology in affected children, indicating a differential impact of specific blood disorders.
- Advances in haemophilia treatment may contribute to a near-normal life for affected boys, potentially reducing psychiatric risks.
- Maternal-child relationship quality is a significant factor in child psychopathology within families managing blood disorders.
Background:
This study examines the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in affected and in unaffected siblings from families with haemophilia or beta-thalassaemia.
Method:
Based on data derived from a cross-sectional and multi-centre study into the resilience of 115 families with blood disorders. Sociodemographic and developmental data were collected from the parent using a standardised and semi-structured interview, and medical data were elicited from the attending clinician. The children's psychopathology was assessed with the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS).
Results:
Children with beta-thalassaemia were twice as likely to receive a diagnosis of psychiatric disorder and more likely to show a higher degree of impairment of general functioning than haemophilic boys or unaffected children from families with blood disorders. Clinical severity of haemophilia or beta-thalassaemia was not associated with significant differences in prevalence of child psychiatric disorders or impairment. Mothers' evaluation of their relationship with their child as 'less than easy' predicted psychopathology.
Conclusions:
The high prevalence of psychopathology in children with beta-thalassaemia reported in this study suggests that specific blood disorders have differential impact on affected children. This difference may be related to medical therapy advances in haemophilia so that haemophilic boys can lead an almost normal life.
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