Brief report: the association between peer victimization, prosocial support, and treatment adherence in children and adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between peer victimization, prosocial support, and treatment adherence in children and adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).


METHODS
Thirty-eight children diagnosed with IBD, between the ages of 7-19 years, and their parents were recruited from an outpatient Gastroenterology Clinic. Each child completed the Social Experience Questionnaire. The child, parent, and treating physician completed a one-item measure of child medication adherence.


RESULTS
Child reported positive social interactions moderated the relationship between child reported peer victimization and self-reported medication adherence (t = -2.09; p = .045). These relationships held when parent report of child adherence was substituted for child reported adherence in this model (t = -2.37; p = .024).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings from this pilot study suggest that prosocial support may buffer children with IBD from experiencing the more negative effects of peer victimization on treatment adherence and highlight the importance of social interactions in youth with IBD. Implications for treatment are discussed.
Janicke
David M
DM
Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610-0165, USA. djanicke@phhp.ufl.edu
Gray
Wendy N
WN
Kahhan
Nicole A
NA
Follansbee Junger
Katherine W
KW
Marciel
Kristen K
KK
Storch
Eric A
EA
Jolley
Christopher D
CD
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010379:Peer Group; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult