ABSTRACT

Some suggestions were made in order to decrease the problematic behavious in both hemophilic adolescents and their mothers. Mothers should be informed about the disease, treatment and their overprotective attitudes and mothers must be supported to share responsibilities in care of hemophilic children. The family and the hemophiliac child should focus on what can be done, taking into account the risks of hemophilia.

When comparing the both group’s total score, mother’s depression, over-protective attitudes, were found significantly different. And adolescents’ oppositional and defiant behavior, depression and anxiety score were found significantly different between groups.

There were positive correlation between diagnosed hemophilia and anxiety, depression and oppositional and defiant behavior. Over-protective behavior of mother and sons’ anxiety, depression, oppositional and defiant behavior, and mothers’ depression were positively correlated.

The study group consisted of 19 male adolescents with severe Hemophilia A and B (between 11-16 years) and their mothers. 22 volunteer medical staff mothers and their sons (between 11-16 years) enrolled in the study as a control group. Data were collected from both mother and son with self-rated psychometric tools in one session.

Hemophilia is expected to adversely affect the child's psycho-social development and mothers’ mood and attitudes toward the ill children. The aim of the study was to investigate the psychological problems of both mother and adolescent and to found out if there was a relationship between mother’s mood, overprotection and adolescents’ problem behaviors.