Psychological adjustment of adolescents with sickle cell disease: relations with demographic, medical, and family competence variables.
OBJECTIVE
Investigate the hypothesis that family competence in addressing challenges associated with sickle cell disease (SCD) contributes to adolescents' adjustment.


METHODS
During routine clinic appointments, 80 adolescents (M age = 14.4 years) and their parents independently completed the Self-Report Family Inventory (SFI), which assesses family competence, and measures of adolescent adjustment problems. Information related to disease severity was obtained from clinic files.


RESULTS
Regression analyses controlling for demographic and medical variables revealed that higher family competence was associated with fewer internalizing and externalizing behaviors by the adolescent; these relations were particularly true for younger adolescents and for girls. Parental reports of somatic complaints in girls were predicted by parental ratings of family competence.


CONCLUSIONS
Interventions for adolescents with SCD should be family-centered and should focus on strengthening the family's ability to manage stressors associated with parenting an adolescent with a chronic illness.
Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA. wkliewer@saturn.vcu.edu
R S
RS
Kell
W
W
Kliewer
M T
MT
Erickson
K
K
Ohene-Frempong
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012803:Sick Role