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E-ISSN: 1308-6308 ISSN: 1304-9054
The Social, Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties in Thalassemic Adolescents and Psychopathology in Their Parents
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Original Article
VOLUME: 15 ISSUE: 3
P: 35-46
December 2017

The Social, Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties in Thalassemic Adolescents and Psychopathology in Their Parents

J Curr Pediatr 2017;15(3):35-46
DOI: 10.4274/jcp.2017.0024
Aslı Sürer Adanır 1
Gülseren Taşkıran 2
Cem Koparan 2
Esin Özatalay 1
1. Akdeniz Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Çocuk ve Ergen Psikiyatrisi AD, Antalya
2. Antalya Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Çocuk ve Ergen Psikiyatrisi Kliniği, Antalya
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ABSTRACT

Methods:

For this aim, 24 adolescents with Beta-thalassemia and accessible parent, as the study group and 20 adolescents without any physical or mental problems and accessible parent, as the control group were recruited. Functionality of adolescents was assessed with Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and psychopatology in parents was assessed with The Symptom Checklist 90-R (SCL 90-R), a self-report questionnaire consists of 90 items.

Results:

In thalassemic adolescents, SDQ subscores in peer relations, emotional symptoms and total difficulties were significantly higher, indicating problems in these areas. In both groups, all SCL 90-R subscale scores and general syptom index score were in normal range, but obsesive-compulsive score was statistically higher in thalassemia group. There was a significant correlation between the anxiety subscores of parents and presence of dismorfism in the thalassemic child. In the presence of a second child with thalassemia in the family also correlated with the overall psychopathology in parents. But contrary to expectation, in the presence of thalassemia complication(s), no correlation was found.

Discussion and Conclusion:

Because of the the chronic and fatal nature of the disease, difficulties about the treatment and secondary diseases due to the iron overload, psychological and social problems can be seen in the patients and their parents. In this respect, it’s a necessity to combine the medical treatment with psychosocial support, handle the child and the family as a whole and ensuring the identification and treatment of any possible psychopathologies.

Introduction:

The aim of this study is to investigate the social, emotional and behavioral difficulties in adolescents and the prevalance of pyschopatology in parents of adolescents with βeta-thalassemia, a chronic disease which is a hereditary blood disorder characterized by reduced or absent beta globin chain synthesis, resulting in decreased red blood cell production, anemia and subsequent secondary diseases as a result of iron loading.