title: A randomized controlled trial of interventions to promote adjustment in children with congenital heart disease entering school and their families.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report on a randomized controlled trial of psychological interventions to promote adjustment in children with congenital heart disease and their families.
  
  
  METHODS
  Following baseline assessment, 90 children (aged 4-5 years) and their families were randomly assigned to an Intervention or Control group before entering school. 68 (76%) were retained at 10-month follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gains were observed on measures of maternal mental health and family functioning. Although no differences were found on measures of child behavior at home or school, children in the intervention group were perceived as "sick" less often by their mother and missed fewer days from school. A regression model, using baseline measures as predictors, highlighted the importance of maternal mental health, worry and child neurodevelopmental functioning for child behavioral outcomes almost a year later.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The intervention promoted clinically significant gains for the child and family. The program is of generalizable significance.
authors.affiliation: The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, Northern Ireland. c.mccusker@qub.ac.uk
authors.forename: Christopher G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: McCusker
authors.forename: Nicola N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Doherty
authors.forename: Bernadette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.forename: Nichola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rooney
authors.forename: Connor
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mulholland
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sands
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.forename: Moira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Casey
mesh_terms: D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012917:Social Adjustment; D016896:Treatment Outcome