ROLE OF CHILD AND MATERNAL PROCESSES IN THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT OF CHILDREN WITH SICKLE-CELL DISEASE

In this study, 64% of children aged 7-12 years with sickle cell disease were found to have a parent-reported behavior problem, and 50% met the criteria for a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders (3rd ed.) diagnosis based on a structured clinical interview of the child. Internalizing types of behavior problems and diagnoses were the most frequent. Support was provided for a transactional stress and coping model in delineating the processes associated with child adjustment. In particular, maternal anxiety accounted for 16%-33% of the variance in mother-reported internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, respectively, and child pain-coping strategies accounted for 21% of the variance in child-reported adjustment problems.