Psychosocial adjustment of children with a terminally ill parent. |
| |
Authors: | K Siegel F P Mesagno D Karus G Christ K Banks R Moynihan |
| |
Affiliation: | Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021. |
| |
Abstract: | Although a substantial number of children experience serious parental illness and death, the adjustment problems attendant to the stress of having a fatally ill parent have not been examined systematically. This paper compares the psychosocial adjustment of 62 school-aged children with a terminally ill parent (study sample) with that of children in a community sample, using several standard rating scales. Study children had significantly higher levels of self-reported depression (Children's Depression Inventory) and anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) and lower self-esteem (Self-Esteem Inventory). Parents also reported study children's significantly higher behavior problems and lower social competence (Child Behavior Checklist). Increased professional attention to this vulnerable population is encouraged. |
| |
Keywords: | |
|
|