Meta-Analysis: Caregiver and Youth Uncertainty in Pediatric Chronic Illness.
To conduct a systematic review on the construct of illness uncertainty in caregivers and youth as related to the following: demographic and illness variables, psychological functioning, illness-related distress, and reaction/coping style.



A meta-analysis was conducted with articles assessing the associations between illness uncertainty and variables of interest that were published between November 1983 and June 2016 ( n = 58).



Psychological functioning and illness-related distress had primarily medium effect sizes. Demographic and illness variables had small effect sizes. More positive and fewer negative reaction/coping styles were associated with less illness uncertainty, with primarily small effects.



Illness uncertainty may be an important factor that influences psychological functioning and distress and coping in the context of pediatric chronic illness. However, additional research is needed to determine more precise mean effect sizes, as well as the potential efficacy of intervention to address uncertainty. adolescents, children, chronic illness, coping skills and adjustment, meta-analysis, parents, psychosocial functioning.
Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.|Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati.
Lauren
L
Szulczewski
Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University.
Larry L
LL
Mullins
Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
Sarah L
SL
Bidwell
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
Angelica R
AR
Eddington
Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.|Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati.
Ahna L H
ALH
Pai
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D035501:Uncertainty