Birth defects and psychosocial adjustment
A. Heller, S. Rafman, I. Zvagulis and I. B. Pless
A one-year prospective study was conducted to examine the extent to which
type of disability, severity, and family functioning serve to predict
maladjustment. One hundred forty children, aged 4 to 13 years, born with
cardiovascular disorders, cleft lip or palate, or hearing defects were
assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist at two points in time. The
results suggest that the type of disorder and severity are associated with
remaining or becoming maladjusted. Deaf girls and boys with cardiac
problems were most likely to be affected, followed by boys with clefts and
boys with hearing problems. A direct relationship is found with severity
assessed by the Functional Status Measure. Family functioning, however, is
not significantly related to maladjustment. These findings provide a
framework for better understanding factors contributing to the increased
risk of maladjustment for some children with birth defects.
