PSYCHOSOCIAL CONSIDERATIONS IN SICKLE-CELL DISEASE (SCD) - THE TRANSITION FROM ADOLESCENCE TO YOUNG ADULTHOOD

Sickle cell disease (SCD) occurs in 1 of every 400 to 500 African Amer ican births. Despite its prevalence, there has been a relative dearth of attention paid to SCD in the psychological literature. African Amer ican SCD adolescents and young adults, individuals at an already vulne rable developmental stage, are at increased risk for psychological dis tress and psychosocial impairments (e.g, depression and low self-estee m, poor social and academic/vocational functioning). Such difficulties often result in problematic adherence to medical regimens, and thus r epresent a potentially serious clinical and public health problem that merits the attention of psychologists working in medical settings. Th is article (I) reviews the psychosocial needs peculiar to SCD patients transitioning from adolescence to young adulthood; (2) applies a cult urally informed stress-coping-adjustment framework to assess and addre ss the psychological status, psychosocial functioning and disease outc omes of these individuals; and (3) describes a culturally and developm entally sensitive, psychoeducational group intervention.