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Preinjury behavioral and emotional problems among pediatric burn patients
Carrie Piazza-Waggoner1, Christa Dotson, C D Adams
1Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, MLC 3015, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
Insights
Children with burn injuries often exhibit significant behavioral difficulties, including hyperactivity, anxiety, and aggression. These issues, particularly internalizing and externalizing behaviors, are more pronounced in adolescents and boys.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychology
- Child Psychiatry
- Burn Injury Research
Background:
- Standardized behavior rating scales are crucial for objective assessment of child behavioral functioning in routine medical care.
- Burn injuries in children can significantly impact behavioral and emotional well-being, necessitating specialized assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and nature of behavior problems in children (2.5-18 years) with burn injuries.
- To utilize the Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC) for a comprehensive evaluation of behavioral functioning before burn injury hospitalization.
Main Methods:
- Employed the multi-informant Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC) to assess clinical and adaptive behaviors.
- Collected data from 94 children, with parents and youth (8-18 years) completing BASC ratings prior to burn injury admission.
Main Results:
- A significant proportion of children with burn injuries displayed elevated behavioral difficulties across various domains.
- Preschoolers showed hyperactivity, anxiety, aggression, and attention issues; school-aged children had these plus depression and conduct problems.
- Adolescents (12-18 years) exhibited higher levels of internalizing and externalizing behaviors; boys were more frequently associated with the cause of their burn injury.
Conclusions:
- Children with burn injuries present with a substantial burden of behavioral challenges requiring clinical attention.
- Age and sex are significant factors influencing the manifestation and severity of behavioral problems post-burn injury.
- Findings underscore the importance of early behavioral screening and targeted interventions for pediatric burn patients.
Abstract:
Standardized behavior rating scales have been used in the routine care of children during medical visits because they provide an objective, norm-based index for the child's behavioral functioning. The purpose of this study was to examine behavior problems among children (aged 2.5-18 years) with burn injuries using the Behavioral Assessment System for Children, a multi-informant system of standardized rating scales that assesses clinical and adaptive behavior areas. Parents and youth (ages 8-18) completed the Behavioral Assessment System for Children with reference to the pediatric patient's behavioral functioning before hospital admission for a burn injury. In total, data were collected on 94 children. Results suggested that a substantial portion of the sample endorsed significantly elevated levels of behavioral difficulties across a broad range of problem behaviors. On the basis of parent report, preschoolers exhibited concerns related to hyperactivity, anxiety, aggression, and attention problems, whereas school-aged children were reported to have these same concerns as well as depression and conduct problems. Twenty percent of our adolescent sample (ages 12-18 years) were described to be experiencing even more internalizing and externalizing behavior problems relative to the two groups of their younger counterparts. Boys were found to contribute to the cause of their burn injury significantly more often than girls. The strengths, limitations, and clinical implications of our findings are discussed.
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