PREDICTION OF DEPRESSION IN PARENTS OF TURNER-SYNDROME ADOLESCENTS ASA FUNCTION OF GROWTH-HORMONES, FAMILY CONFLICT, AND COPING STYLE

We investigated differences in parents' adjustment (depression) to the ir daughter's Turner Syndrome as a function of parent coping style, fa mily conflict, and growth hormone. Forty-four mothers and fathers of a dolescents with Turner Syndrome (taking and not taking growth hormone) served as subjects. Parents independently completed the Family Enviro nment Scale, the Ways of Coping Scale, and the Beck Depression Invento ry. Regression analyses revealed that mothers who utilized wishful thi nking as a coping style and who did not have daughters receiving growt h hormone reported more symptoms of depression than those mothers who did not have this coping style and daughters taking growth hormone. Ho wever, for fathers, neither growth hormone nor wishful thinking accoun ted for any variance in their depression scores. Family conflict did n ot contribute to depression scores for mothers or fathers. Variations in parent adjustment were attributed to differing roles parents have i n caretaking the pediatric patient as well as divergent coping styles. The tendency for parents to infantalize their adolescents with Turner Syndrome may explain the lack of relationship between family conflict and parental report of depression.