Coping, stress and negative psychological outcomes in parents of children admitted to a pediatric neurorehabilitation care unit.

Abstract

BACKGROUND\nParents attitudes and psychological adjustment during their child s hospitalization in a pediatric neurorehabilitation care unit are key aspects for the child s adherence to care and the impact of the disease.\n\n\nAIM\nThe aim of this study was to examine the relationship between parenting stress, coping style, and negative psychological outcomes in families of children admitted for the first time to a pediatric neurorehabilitation care unit.\n\n\nDESIGN\nThis is an observational study.\n\n\nSETTING\nPediatric Neurorehabilitation Care Unit.\n\n\nPOPULATION\nOne hundred twenty-four parents of children diagnosed with neurodevelopmental or neurological conditions.\n\n\nMETHODS\nParents completed standardized questionnaires assessing parenting stress, coping style, anxiety and depressive symptoms.\n\n\nRESULTS\nWe found that parents of children with neurodevelopmental conditions showed more emotion-focused coping strategies (p = 0.016) and depressive symptoms (p = 0.01) compared with parents of children with neurological conditions. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that emotion- and avoidance-oriented coping style and socioeconomic status are crucial factors in the adjustment process of parents of children with neurodevelopmental conditions. By contrast, parenting stress and child difficulties were the most significant predictors of negative psychological outcomes in parents with neurological conditions.\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nThis study sought to develop more understanding of the relationship among parenting stress, coping, and anxiety or depressive symptoms in parent of children hospitalized in a pediatric neurorehabilitation care unit. We suggest that examining parents may increase our understanding of the interplay between child and parent functioning in families with children admitted for the first time to a pediatric neurorehabilitation care unit.\n\n\nCLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT\nIdentify these predictors might help professionals to develop screening procedures to identify parent at high risk for anxiety or depression, and to conduct early interventions to reduce uncertainty and maladaptive coping strategies that may influences rehabilitation process.