237883 Children with Chronic Illnesses: Parent Anxiety and Family Hardiness

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Laura Nabors, PhD , Department of Human Services, CECH, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Anne Bush, BA , Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
Heidi Lundy, student , Psychology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Bevin Van Wassenhove, student , Psychology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Jennifer Bartz, student , Psychology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
This study provides information on factors related to parent anxiety and family hardiness for children with chronic illnesses. Participants were 44 parents of children with chronic illnesses, who were residing at a local Ronald McDonald House as their child was receiving care at a nearby hospital. Research assistants collected data on parent anxiety, coping strategies, and family functioning and hardiness. Results of a regression analysis (R2 = .30, p < .001), with parent anxiety as the dependent variable, indicated that parents who reported positive family functioning were likely to report lower anxiety than those reporting poorer family functioning (Standardized B = -.446, t = -2.710, p < .01). Family stressors and the number of medical problems for the child were not significantly related to parent anxiety. Results of another regression analysis (R2 = .41, p < .001) indicated that as the number of child medical problems increased family hardiness decreased (Standardized B = -.520, t = -4.26, p < .001). Conversely, parents endorsing a higher number of religious coping strategies provided more positive ratings than parents who reported fewer strategies (Standardized B = .321, t = 2.63, p = .012). Results of this study supported the idea that parental anxiety is related to perceptions of family functioning. Additionally, parents using religious coping strategies may perceive their family as more resilient than those who do not use such strategies. Finally, families with a child with multiple medical problems may benefit from additional supports as they cope with their child's conditions.

Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Provision of health care to the public

Learning Objectives:
1. Analyze factors related to parent anxiety and family hardiness for children with chronic illness. 2. Demonstrate a link between family functioning and parent anxiety. 3. Demonstrate a link between children's medical conditions, parent coping strategies, and family hardiness.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to be an abstract author as I am the PI on this project and an associate professor at the university of cincinnati. I run the lab conducting this study.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.