title: Psychological adjustment in young children with chronic medical conditions.
abstract: Children with chronic medical conditions are at higher risk for behavioral and emotional problems compared to physically healthy children. This study used a conceptual model to examine factors associated with psychological adjustment in children aged 7-11 years old with any of four chronic illnesses. The variables most closely associated with child adjustment included the following: mothers' evaluation of the impact of the child's illness on the family; child's perceptions of parental acceptance; and child's self-perceptions of physical appearance, social acceptance, and athletic competence. These findings confirm the importance of maternal and child perceptions in understanding the psychological adjustment of children with chronic conditions.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Immelt
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015142:Baltimore; D001828:Body Image; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010371:Pediatric Nursing; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D012803:Sick Role; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires