Brief report: Illness factors and child behavior before and during pediatric hospitalization

Abstract

Objective: Little is known about factors predicting in-hospital adjustment in children with chronic illnesses or about risk/protective factors for in-hospital behavior compared to out-of-hospital behavior. This study investigated the relationship between illness factors (chronicity and severity) and child adjustment in and out of the hospital. Methods: Parents and nurses completed questionnaires about in-hospital and home behavior for a sample of 85 hospitalized children. Results: In the hospital, children with acute illnesses demonstrated more internalizing behavior problems than children with chronic illnesses. Children with life-threatening illnesses had more internalizing and externalizing problems than children with non-life-threatening illnesses. Out of the hospital, children with chronic illnesses demonstrated more internalizing problems and a trend toward more externalizing problems than healthy children who later developed acute illnesses. Out of hospital behavior problems were unrelated to illness severity. Conclusions: Results suggest that different illness factors may predict in-hospital as compared to out-of-hospital behavioral adjustment. © The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved.