Skip to main content
Log in

Life events in relation to psychopathology among severely and chronically Ill children and adolescents

  • Articles
  • Published:
Child Psychiatry and Human Development Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Life events were studied in three groups of severely and chronically ill patients and healthy controls in a matched group design. The amount of life events did not vary significantly between the different types of illness and the controls. Furthermore, there were no significant correlations to severity of psychiatric disorder. The analysis of the relationship between clinical parameters and life events led to some unexpected findings in need of further clarification. The usefulness of the magnitude estimation of life events is critically discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Coddington RD: The significance of life events as etiologic factors in the disease of children, I: A survey of professional workers.J Psychosom Res 16:7–18, 1972a.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Coddington RD: The significance of life events as etiologic factors in the disease of children, II: A study of a normal population.J Psychosom Res 16:205–213, 1972b.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Gersten JC, Langner TS, Eisenberg JG et al.: Child behavior and life events, In: Stressful Life Events, Their Nature and Effects, BS Dohrenwend, BP Dohrenwend (Eds), New York, Wiley, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Monaghan JH, Robinson JO, Dodge JA: The children's life events inventory.J Psychosom Res 23:63–68, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Sandler IN, Ramsay TB: Dimensional analysis of children's stesful life events.Amer J Commun Psychol 8:285–302, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Yeaworth RC, York J, Hussey MA, Ingle ME, Goodwin T: The development of an adolescent life change event scale. Adolescence15:91–97, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Heisel JS: Life changes as etiologic factors in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.J Psychosom Res 16:411–420, 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Heisel JS, Ream S, Raitz R, Rappaport S, Coddington RD: The significance of life events as contributory factors in the diseases of children, III: A study of pediatric patients.J Pediatrics 83:119–123, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Hudgens, RW: Personal Catastrophe and Depression, In: Stressful Life Events, Their Nature and Effects, BP Dohrenwend (Ed.), New York, Wiley, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Jacobs TJ, Charles E: Life events and the occurrence of cancer in children,Psychosom Med 42:ll-24, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Boyce, QR, Jensen EW, Cassel JC, Collier AM, Smith AH, Ramey CT: Influence of life events and family routines on childhood respiratory tract illness.Pediatrics 60:609–615, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Padilla ER, Rohsenow DJ, Bergman AB: Predicting accident frequency in children.Pediatrics 58:223–226, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Bedell JR, Giordani B, Amour JL, Tavormina J, Boll T: Life stress and the psychological and medical adjustment of chronically ill children,J Psychosom Res 21:237–242, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Vincent KR, Rosenstock HA: Relationship between stressful life events and hospitalized adolescent psychiatic patients.J Clin Psychiat 40:262–264, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Gad MT, Johnson JH: Correlates of adolescent life stress as related to race, SES, and levels of perceived social support.J Clin Child Psychiat 9:13–16, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Earls F: The impact of family stress on the behavior adjustment of preschool children.Masachusetts J Community Health: 7–11, 1980.

  17. Kashani JH, Hodges, KK, Simonds JF, Hilderbrand E: Life events and hospitalization: a comparison with a general poplation.Brit J Psychiat 139:221–225, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Rutter M, Tizard J, Whitmore K: Education, health and behaviour, London, Longman, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Pless IB, Roghmann K: Chronic illness and its consequences: Observations based on three epidemiologic surveys.J Pediatrics 79:351–359, 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Steinhausen HC, Schindler HP: Psychosocial adaptation in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis.J Dev Behav Pediatrics 2:74–77, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Steinhausen HC, Kies H: Comparative studies of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's Disease in children and adolescents.J Child Psych Psychiat 23:33–42, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Steinhausen HC, Schindler HP, Stephan H: Correlates of psychopathology in sick children.J Amer Acad Child Psychiat, 1983, in press.

  23. Steinhausen HC, Schindler HP, Stephan H: Comparative psychiatric studies on children and adolescents suffering from cystic fibrosis and bronchial asthma.

  24. Steinhausen HC: Locus of control among psychosomatically and chronically ill children and adolescents.J Abnormal Child Psych, 10, 609–612, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Graham P, Rutter M: The reliability and validity of the psychiatric assessment of the child, II. Interview with the parent.Br J Psychiat 114:581–591, 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Skinner HA, Lei H: Differential weights in life change research: useful or irrelevant?Psychosom Med 42:367–370, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Brown G: Life events, psychiatric disorder and physical illness,J Psychosom Res 25:461–469, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Tennant C, Bebbinton P, Hurry J: The role of life events in depressive illness: Is there a substantial causal relation?Psychol Med ll:379–389, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Jenkins CB, Hurst MW, Rose RM: Life changes, Do People Really Remember?Arch Gen Psychiat 36:379–384, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Andrews G, Tennant C: Life event stress and psychiatric illness, Psychol Med 8:545–549, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Dohrenwend BS, Dohrenwend BP: Some issues in research stressful life events,J Nerv Ment Dis 166:7–15, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Steinhausen, HC. Life events in relation to psychopathology among severely and chronically Ill children and adolescents. Child Psych Hum Dev 13, 249–258 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00709559

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00709559

Keywords

Navigation