The relationship between chronic sorrow and accuracy of perception of cognitive development in parents of children with neural tube defect.

Format:

Book

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Hobdell, Elizabeth Frederica.

Contributor:

University of Pennsylvania.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Clinical psychology.

Nursing.

0569.

0622.

Local Subjects:

0569.

0622.

Physical Description:

161 pages

Contained In:

Dissertation Abstracts International 54-03B.

System Details:

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

text file

Summary:

The purpose of this research was to explore the relationship between chronic sorrow and accuracy of perception of cognitive development in parents of children with neural tube defect. Chronic sorrow was defined as the cyclical, recurring grief that occurs after the birth of a child with a disability. Accuracy of perception was the difference between parental judgement of child performance and a standard measure of development. Potential influence by parent and child variables was explored.

The sample consisted of 132 parents (63 mother/father pairs and six single parents) and 69 children aged 7 to 75 months. All parents responded to developmental, sorrow, and depression instruments. Developmental questions preceded the sorrow and depression instruments. Children were tested for cognitive level.

Both mothers and fathers were inaccurate in their perceptions of cognitive development and demonstrated chronic sorrow. Multiple regression revealed no statistically significant relationships for mothers between chronic sorrow and accuracy of perception. Fathers demonstrated statistically significant relationships for two of the four sorrow measures.

Multivariate analysis of variance demonstrated significant differences between mothers and fathers in chronic sorrow. Paired t-test demonstrated significant differences between parents for accuracy. Mothers were more accurate and had more chronic sorrow than fathers.

The data were also analyzed to determine the potential effect of parent or child related variables. Neither parent (depression, education, knowledge of development) nor child (age, sex, level of lesion) related variables significantly affected the relationship between accuracy and sorrow. The results indicate that mothers and fathers differ in their expression of sorrow and accuracy.

The findings of this study emphasize the need for individual assessments of parental coping styles, accuracy, and expression of sorrow. Plans and interventions should consider the multidimensional nature of chronic sorrow and its potential effect on paternal accuracy.

Notes:

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-03, Section: B, page: 1333.

Supervisor: Laura L. Hayman.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Pennsylvania, 1993.

Local Notes:

School code: 0175.

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.