Psychological outcomes after pediatric hospitalization: the role of trauma type

Abstract

Physical injury and illness are common potentially traumatic events during childhood and adolescence. Many children experience psychosocial difficulties after medical events. The sample consisted of 399 children aged 4 to 15 who had been hospitalized for physical illness or injury. Elevated psychological symptomatology (PTSS, depression, anxiety) was more frequent after multiple (type II) compared to single (type I) medical events, but only a few differences were statistically significant. The strongest risk factor of child PTSS was parental stress. Type II trauma and low parental education were significant risk factors only for parent report of child PTSS (not for child report). The analyzed risk factors did not differ for type I versus II trauma. We recommend standardized screening and monitoring for mental health in the standard pediatric health care. Furthermore, pediatricians should be trained in signaling stress signs of parents.

Brain Gym Effectively Reduces Anxiety in School-and Preschool-Aged Children in Hospitals

“…PTSS, depression, and anxiety are the most common symptoms experienced by hospitalized children. Therefore, pediatric nurses need to know the signs of stress in children and parents and should have the ability to overcome the impact of hospitalization on children (Meentken et al, 2021).…”

“…Anxiety is a problem generally experienced by hospitalized children. About 25-38% of children experience long-and short-term hospitalization, and 7-40% of these children have unpleasant experiences and symptoms of anxiety (Meentken et al, 2021;Sen, 2020). In Indonesia, several studies have demonstrated that 50-80% of hospitalized children show an anxiety reaction (Juwita, 2019;Wilujeng, 2018).…”

“…Another problem is that children can also show regression behavior, dependence on parents, temper tantrums, and negativism. Several studies have demonstrated that hospitalization can cause posttraumatic stress symptom (PTSS) reactions that can continue even though children are no longer hospitalized after several years (Chodidjah & Syahreni, 2015;Meentken et al, 2021;Wilujeng, 2018).…”

“…Hospitalization provides an unpleasant experience to children because they are separated from their family, they are in an unfamiliar environment, and they experience pain sensations (Chodidjah & Syahreni, 2015). Hospitalization experience influences subsequent hospitalization reactions, and children who have had one or more hospitalization experiences show higher levels of anxiety and depression (Meentken et al, 2021).…”

Associations Between Children's Depressive Symptoms, Life Events, and Family Factors Among School‐Aged Children

“…8,9,15,[18][19][20][21][22][23] Life events such as parental separation or divorce, death of a family member or another close person, 19,23 family environment events such as frequent parental arguments, the arrival of a new sibling, or a stepparent moving in 19 are strongly associated with depressive symptoms. The risk of depressive symptoms is also increased by the child's serious illness 9,[23][24][25] or the illness of a parent or relative, or by the loss of a parent or close relative. 11,13,19,23 Also, children whose parents have a history of depression report more depressive symptoms after stressful life events than children whose parents have no depressive history.…”