Adolescent Self-perceptions of Adjustment to Childhood Arthritis: the Influence of Disease Activity, Family Resources, and Parent Adjustment

Purpose: To examine the influence of illness parameters, adolescent support resources, and parental adjustment on the psychosocial adjustment of adolescents with arthritis.

Method: A sample of 57 adolescents with childhood arthritis, 50 of their mothers, and 40 of their fathers completed paper-and-pencil measures of: (a) perceptions of the severity of the adolescent's illness, (b) social support and family functioning, and (c) adolescent depression and global self-worth. Participants were predominantly white and upper middle class. Data were analyzed using multiple regression strategies.

Results: Adolescent perceptions of family functioning and social support were significant predictors of both global self-worth and depression in regression analyses. Additionally, greater functional limitations because of arthritis were predictive of adolescent depression.

Conclusion: Family functioning was significantly associated with adolescent adjustment across different conceptulaizations and measures of adjustment.