Psychological studies of families with children and adolescents following surgery for congenital heart defects (tetralogy of Fallot and aortic coarctation)

Sixty-two children with operated congenital heart disease (34 with tetralogy of Fallot and 28 with coarctation) ranging in age from 9 to 16 years underwent a detailed psychological examination. The results were compared with children without structural heart disease and with test norm values. The aim of the study was to check findings on intelligence and explore aspects which had been hardly considered previously (for instance learning capability, concentration, mental work-up of disease etc.). We had assumed that there were differences between the Fallot group and that of coarctation, since the former had been handicapped physically prior to surgery. There were differences in terms of logical thinking, where children with coarctation turned out to be better. As far as other variables were concerned there was no significant difference (such as behavioural features), nor was there any difference between boys and girls. The results show that psychic "problems" of cardiac children do not resolve automatically after surgery, but there may be children with persisting psychological peculiarities who require guidance, occasionally even psychotherapy.