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The effects of chronic illness on children and their families: an overview
1Medical Research Council, Social and Community Psychiatry Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London, England.
Insights
Chronic illness affects 10-20% of children, with coping influenced by illness, personality, and environment. Recent research offers a less negative view of psychosocial impacts.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Child Psychology
- Family Studies
Background:
- 10-20% of children experience chronic illness, varying in severity.
- Chronic illness can negatively impact children and families.
- Coping with chronic illness is influenced by multiple factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of the effects of chronic illness on children and families.
- To explore factors influencing how children cope with chronic illness.
- To suggest future research directions in pediatric chronic illness.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent theoretical approaches and research.
- Analysis of factors influencing child and family adjustment.
- Synthesis of current understanding of psychosocial implications.
Main Results:
- Child coping is influenced by illness characteristics, personality, and socio-environmental factors.
- Increased stress is linked to higher risk of maladjustment.
- Recent research indicates a less negative psychosocial impact than previously thought.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the multifaceted influences on coping is crucial for effective treatment.
- Future research should focus on refining measurement and sampling methods.
- Interventions should consider the child's and family's unique contexts.
Abstract:
Between 10% and 20% of children suffer from chronic illness, the severity and impact of which vary considerably. Treatment aims to reduce the potentially negative effects of the illness on the child and the family and to help them achieve a normal life style. It is increasingly clear that the way in which children cope with chronic illness appears to be influenced by the illness, the child's personality, and characteristics of the family and social environment. Recent theoretical approaches suggest that the risk of maladjustment increases when stress increases. More sophisticated methods of sampling and measurement have resulted in recent research that presents a less negative picture of the psychosocial implication of chronic illness. In this article, I give an overview of the effect of chronic illness on children and their families, and I suggest directions for future research.