Brief report: illness factors and child behavior before and during pediatric hospitalization.
OBJECTIVE
Little is known about factors predicting in-hospital adjustment in children with chronic illnesses or about risk/protective factors for in-hospital behavior compared to out-of-hospital behavior. This study investigated the relationship between illness factors (chronicity and severity) and child adjustment in and out of the hospital.


METHODS
Parents and nurses completed questionnaires about in-hospital and home behavior for a sample of 85 hospitalized children.


RESULTS
In the hospital, children with acute illnesses demonstrated more internalizing behavior problems than children with chronic illnesses. Children with life-threatening illnesses had more internalizing and externalizing problems than children with non-life-threatening illnesses. Out of the hospital, children with chronic illnesses demonstrated more internalizing problems and a trend toward more externalizing problems than healthy children who later developed acute illnesses. Out of hospital behavior problems were unrelated to illness severity.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that different illness factors may predict in-hospital as compared to out-of-hospital behavioral adjustment.
Levy
Michelle C
MC
Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, USA.
Kronenberger
William G
WG
Carter
Bryan D
BD
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D055809:Illness Behavior; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012931:Social Environment