Parenting stress and parental post-traumatic stress disorder in families after pediatric heart transplantation.
BACKGROUND
There has been little research on the stress experienced by parents of children who have undergone heart transplantation.


METHODS
Parents of 52 consecutive pediatric heart transplant recipients completed questionnaires assessing illness-related parenting stress and post-traumatic stress symptoms at a routine clinic visit. Medical charts were reviewed retrospectively to gather peri- and post-operative information.


RESULTS
The average age of patients at transplant was 12 years (range 1 to 18 years), and participation occurred 3 months to 10 years post-transplant (median 2.5 years). Nearly 40% of parents indicated moderately severe to severe post-traumatic stress symptoms. Ten of the 52 participating parents met DSM-IV-TR clinical diagnostic criteria for current post-traumatic stress disorder. Parents also identified significant levels of illness-related parenting stress in the areas of communication around the child's illness, emotional distress, managing the child's medical care, and balancing role functions.


CONCLUSIONS
Illness-related parenting stress and post-traumatic stress symptoms are significant concerns among parents of pediatric heart transplant patients. Parents' psychologic functioning post-transplant should be routinely assessed and addressed by transplant teams.
Farley
Lisa M
LM
Department of Psychiatry, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
DeMaso
David R
DR
D'Angelo
Eugene
E
Kinnamon
Carolyn
C
Bastardi
Heather
H
Hill
Clara E
CE
Blume
Elizabeth D
ED
Logan
Deirdre E
DE
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*