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Thalassemic Children's Understanding of Illness: A Study of Cognitive and Emotional Factors
Author(s) -
SHERMAN MIRIAM,
KOCH DIANE,
GIARDINA PATRICIA,
HYMOWITZ PAUL,
SIEGEL RICHARD,
SHAPIRO THEODORE
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1985.tb17203.x
Subject(s) - cognition , intervention (counseling) , psychology , psychiatry , clinical psychology , medicine , developmental psychology
A study that explored children's understanding of the body and illness was conducted with 23 thalassemic outpatients and 27 healthy controls. The findings were supportive of a developmental progression in children's understanding that is reflective of their underlying cognitive maturity. Behavioral compliance was related to psychiatric adjustment. There was a trend toward poorer psychiatric adjustment in children with impaired understanding of their illness. These findings hold implications for both educational and psychiatric intervention with this group. Optimal health care of chronically ill children requires knowledge of the developmental course and interplay of children's cognition and their familial and personal adjustment.