Psychosocial liaison-consultation for the children who have undergone repair of imperforate anus and Hirschsprung disease.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the psychological status of Japanese children with congenital anorectal malformation and their mothers to develop appropriate psychiatric interventions.


METHODS
The subjects comprised 50 children with congenital anorectal malformation aged 0 to 16 years and their mothers. The psychology of children aged 7 to 16 years was investigated by Kovacs' Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). The psychology of their mothers was assessed by Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Index (STAI) and Zung's Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS).


RESULTS
Depression was more marked in the children aged 12 to 16 years than in those aged 7 to 11 years according to the CDI. The mothers of preschool children showed higher levels of anxiety and depression than those of school-aged children, according to the STAI and SDS. Significant correlations between the CDI score of the children and the STAI or SDS score of the mothers were observed only among children aged 7 to 11 years.


CONCLUSIONS
The frequency of depression and anxiety among children with congenital anorectal malformation and that among their mothers was associated with the age of the child. Long-term postoperative psychosocial support for the children and their mothers may be required, taking into account the age of the child.
Funakosi
Syunichi
S
Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine Tohoku University, Miyagi-ken 980-8574, Japan. fwkc9137@infoweb.ne.jp
Hayashi
Junko
J
Kamiyama
Takamichi
T
Ueno
Takashi
T
Ishii
Tomohiro
T
Wada
Motoshi
M
Amae
Shintaro
S
Yoshida
Shigehiko
S
Hayashi
Yutaka
Y
Matsuoka
Hiroo
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001006:Anus, Imperforate / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006627:Hirschsprung Disease / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012720:Severity of Illness Index