Rates of dysfunction in parents of pediatric patients with burns.
The purpose of the current study was to examine the rates of family and child dysfunction in a prospectively, consecutively admitted sample of children. One hundred eleven parents of children consecutively admitted for burn treatment were interviewed using a demographic questionnaire during their child's stay. Results of the questionnaire indicated that in 36% of the families, at least one parent reported significant dysfunction (history of substance abuse, involvement with Child Protective Services, incarceration, or psychiatric history). Results also indicated that 29% of the children over the age of 4 years had significant dysfunction (physical or sexual abuse, or both, psychiatric disorder, behavior problems, or learning disability. It was concluded that (1) parents of children with burns had a substantially high rate of dysfunction, (2) psychologic and preventive interventions should be focused on parents as well as children, and (3) burn injuries often should be regarded as a symptom rather than a cause of psychosocial problems in the family.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle 98104, USA.
Kendall-Grove
D M
DM
Ehde
D R
DR
Patterson
V
V
Johnson
D000293:Adolescent; D002056:Burns / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007859:Learning Disabilities; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012917:Social Adjustment; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires