Parents' and pediatricians' views of individuals with meningomyelocele.
The parents of 63 individuals with meningomyelocele completed a scale examining the effects of their child's disability on their family. Eighty-six pediatricians also completed the scale as they predicted parents would respond. Medical and psychosocial data were also obtained. The results showed the following: (1) A higher level lesion was associated with parental reports of a more negative impact on the family (p < .05), and (2) pediatricians predicted a more negative impact than was reported by the parents (p < .001). We conclude that pediatricians overestimate the negative effects while also underestimating the positive effects of the disability on the family.
Child Development Center, Department of Pediatrics, Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University School of Medicine, Providence 02903 USA.
J A
JA
Blaymore Bier
J A
JA
Liebling
Y
Y
Morales
M
M
Carlucci
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010372:Pediatrics; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires