Paternal correlates of cognitive and behavioral functioning in children with myelomeningocele.
This study examined paternal correlates of the cognitive and behavioral functioning of children with myelomeningocele, when controlling for maternal and biological/child correlates as possible sources of variance. Participants were 48 parent dyads of children with myelomeningocele (21 males, 27 females) between the ages of 4 and 12 years (mean 8y, 2mo, SD 2y 3mo). Lesion levels of participants ranged from the thoracic to sacral (thoracic-L3: n=15; L4-L5: n=15; sacral or lipomeningocele: n=18), of whom 38 had been shunted for hydrocephalus. Half of the participants (n=24) were community ambulators. Potential predictors of cognitive and behavioral functioning included paternal and maternal parenting stress, as assessed by the Parenting Stress Index - Short Form paternal, and maternal perceptions of support and resources, as assessed by the Family Resource Scale and the Family Support Scale, and child medical severity. Paternal variables significantly correlated with behavioral functioning but not with cognitive functioning. Regression analyses revealed that paternal personal distress and maternal perceived adequacy of social support accounted for significant variance in overall child behavioral functioning. Only child medical severity and annual household income explained significant variance in overall child cognitive functioning. These findings add to the growing body of theory and research documenting that fathers make unique and significant contributions to child adjustment in children with myelomeningocele. Both fathers and mothers need to be considered in interventions supporting development and adjustment of children with myelomeningocele and their families.
Wohlfeiler
Melissa M
MM
Department of Psychology, The Citadel, Charleston, SC, USA.
Macias
Michelle M
MM
Saylor
Conway F
CF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003710:Demography; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015588:Observer Variation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires