Ht. Ireys et Ej. Silver, PERCEPTION OF THE IMPACT OF A CHILDS CHRONIC ILLNESS - DOES IT PREDICT MATERNAL MENTAL-HEALTH, Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics, 17(2), 1996, pp. 77-83
Longitudinal data were used to investigate direct and indirect effects
of demographic factors, parameters of chronic health conditions, serv
ice use variables, and perception of family impact of illness on menta
l health of 169 mothers of children with diverse chronic health condit
ions. Bivariate analyses indicated that baseline assessments of demogr
aphic factors, condition parameters, and service use were: (1) general
ly unrelated to maternal mental health at 1 year and (2) modestly rela
ted to maternal perception of the condition's impact on the family 1 y
ear later. Perceived impact and maternal mental health themselves were
moderately related. Multivariate analyses indicated that the need to
watch for changes in the child's condition, the presence of communicat
ion or speech problems, and the number of hospitalizations in the prev
ious year predicted maternal perceptions of the impact of the conditio
n 1 year later. Mothers perception of impact had a direct effect on mo
thers' mental health after accounting for condition parameters. Result
s suggest that condition parameters and service use can affect materna
l mental health through mothers' perceptions of the impact of the cond
ition on family life. Implications for interventions to prevent matern
al mental health problems are discussed.