The impact of an inpatient family-oriented rehabilitation program on parent-reported psychological symptoms of chronically ill children.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the change of psychological symptoms and quality of life in children and adolescents with congenital heart disease, cancer, or cystic fibrosis after a family-oriented inpatient rehabilitation program.


METHODS
302 participants in the intervention (aged 4-17 years, mean=8.7) were assessed using standard questionnaires at admission to the rehabilitation program, at discharge, and 6 months post discharge. Parent-reported behavioral and emotional symptoms were compared to a healthy control group from the National Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (n=903).


RESULTS
At admission, 27.5% of patients showed abnormal levels on the total difficulties score of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire - parent version (SDQ), while an additional 16.9% had slightly elevated symptoms (relative risk=2.16). Patients' psychological symptoms were negatively correlated with their quality of life (QoL) and with parental QoL. After rehabilitation, the patients' symptoms improved significantly, and the improvement persisted for 6 months in those patients who could be followed.


CONCLUSIONS
The rehabilitation program can be considered a promising strategy to improve the patients' psychological adaptation.
Goldbeck
L
L
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Hospital Ulm, Germany. Lutz.Goldbeck@uniklinik-ulm.de
Hölling
I
I
Schlack
R
R
West
C
C
Besier
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005196:Family Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D055809:Illness Behavior; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers