The effects of gender on the coping outcomes of young children following an unanticipated critical care hospitalization.
OBJECTIVE
A prior evaluation of the predictors of child coping outcomes following an unanticipated critical hospitalization revealed gender differences, which were explored in this study to examine patterns of behavioral change over time.


METHODS
Data from 163 mother-child (2-7 years) dyads were extracted for this study. Measures of child coping obtained 3 and 6 months following hospitalization included the Behavioral Assessment System for Children and the Post-Hospitalization Behavior Questionnaire.


RESULTS
Maladaptive behaviors in girls increased throughout the 6-month post-hospitalization period. Boys demonstrated a peak and then decline of those same behaviors.


CONCLUSIONS
Given this information, gender-specific child coping information can be developed for parents, which may lead to improved child outcomes.
Center for Improving Health Outcomes in Children, Teens, & Families, College of Nursing, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA. leigh.small@asu.edu
Leigh
L
Small
Bernadette
B
Mazurek Melnyk
Kimberly
K
Sidora-Arcoleo
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; D008297:Male; D009511:New England; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors