The relation between family functioning and psychological adjustment in children with asthma and children with diabetes

The goals of this study were to evaluate the relationships among family functioning, psychological adjustment, and health-related quality of life in children with asthma and children with diabetes. A secondary goal of this study was to examine the relations between illness severity, psychological adjustment, and health-related quality of life in the children with asthma. Participants included 41 children with asthma and 109 children with diabetes, and one primary caregiver of each child. Questionnaires were given to children to assess their levels of anxiety, depression, and health-related quality of life. Questionnaires pertaining to parenting stress, family functioning, and psychological adjustment also were completed by the participating primary caregiver. Results suggested these two groups of children do not differ in their psychological adjustment, family functioning, or health-related quality of life. Normal levels of anxiety and depression were reported, which both supports and contradicts current research in this area. Additionally, parenting stress mediated the relationship between family cohesion and parent-reported depression in children with diabetes; however, this result was not obtained in the children with asthma. In children with diabetes, significant relationships were found between self-reported anxiety and parenting stress and between parent-reported anxiety and health-related quality of life. Additionally, parent-reported depression was significantly related to parenting stress, health-related quality of life, and family cohesion. Self-reported depression was significantly predicted by health-related quality of life. In children with asthma, health-related quality of life significantly predicted self-reported anxiety and parenting stress was significantly related to parentreported depression. Illness severity did not predict psychological adjustment or healthrelated quality of life in children with asthma.