The Study of Psychological Characteristics of Children and Adolescents with Digestive Diseases

Objective: The present study was aimed at the psychological characteristics of children with different chronic diseases of the digestive system and the identification of key factors influencing the formation of their personality.Methods: The continuous prospective study of psychological peculiarities of 125 patients (7−17 y.o.) with diseases of the digestive system who have been monitored at Scientific Centre of Children’s Health (Moscow) was performed. As research methods were used: analysis of medical and pedagogical documentation, participant observation, educational experiment, interview, questionnaires and projective methods.Results: The study involved 125 patients aged 7–17 years (12.4 averagely) with diseases of the digestive system including teens — 68 (54%), primary school pupil — 57 (46%). The number of boys significantly prevailed over the number of girls (2:1). The study confirmed the existence of a close relationship and mutual influence of three factors: the physical condition, social situation of development, and individual psychological characteristics of children. According to the psychological characteristics the children can be combined in three groups: Group I (47 of 125 people; 37.6%) ― children with bad psychological status. This is most typical for children with active form of chronic diseases requiring intensive medical assistance (37 of 47 people; 78.7%). Group II (59 of 125 people; 47.2%) ― children with instable psychological condition, with risk of neurotization. This group mainly comprises patients with chronic diseases at the stage of unstable clinical remission with preserved or compensated functions of organism bodies and systems or with incomplete compensation of functions requiring long term supportive treatment (45 of 59 people; 76.3%). Group III ― patients with rather stable psychological condition (19 of 125 people; 15.2%). It comprises patients with rather stable psychological condition, anyway, with expressed psychological vulnerability in stress situation. Most children suffer from chronic diseases of different etiology at the stage of clinical remission with rare aggravations, with preserved or compensated functions, provided there are no aggravations of the basic disease (17 of 19 people; 89.5%).Conclusion: Most children with diseases of the digestive system have the psychological difficulties, while their identity is often formed in the distorted social conditions. Therefore, these children need psychological and pedagogical support, as well the special psychological and pedagogical conditions for the realization of their mental and cognitive capacities. To put together a program of psychological and educational assistance we should take into account the child’s age at the moment of occurrence of the disease, etiology, duration and severity of the illness, the nature and degree of non-compliance of social environmental.