HOMEOSTATIC INTERACTIONS - A LONGITUDINAL-STUDY OF BIOLOGICAL, PSYCHOSOCIAL AND FAMILY VARIABLES IN CHILDREN WITH CYSTIC-FIBROSIS

A two-year longitudinal study of thirty-five children used data gather ed from pulmonary function tests, clinical measurements and standardiz ed tests of depression, self-esteem and family environment to illustra te homeostatic interactions among biological and psychosocial adaptati on to cystic fibrosis. Despite physical deterioration over the course of the study, children with cystic fibrosis reported lower depression and higher self-esteem than population norms, and improvements in psyc hological functioning. Decline in biological indicators of health was associated with increases on an index based on Family Environmental Sc ales (FES), subscales of cohesion, expressiveness and organization, an d maintenance of high self-esteem and low depression. Presence of addi tional major life stressors was associated with deterioration in pulmo nary function, higher levels of depression and poorer scores on the FE S. These findings suggest that homeostatic interactions between childr en's health status and family functioning may moderate the physical an d psychological sequelae of cystic fibrosis.