Study On The Status Of Parents' Post - Traumatic Growth And Its Influencing Factors In Children With Rheumatic Diseases

Background:Rheumatic disease in children is a kind of chronic, systemic, and recurrent diseases, parents play an important role in the whole process. In the past researches on psychological reactions of the parents primarily focused on the negative consequences. However, the effects are not usually negative.With the rise of positive psychology, there has been a growing evidence suggest that, high-stress life events, such as confronting death and/or dealing with a life-threatening illness, may serve as a catalyst or an opportunity for positive psychological changes, self-reneval, and personal growth. The phenomenon, termed Post Traumatic Growth (PTG) by Tedeschi. PTG has been reported from natural disasters, war, terrorist attacks to medical field abroad. To date, however, no literature has examined the PTG of parents of children with rheumatic disease in China.Objective:To describe the Post Traumatic growth level of parents of children with rheumatic diseases, and identify the influencing factors of Post Traumatic Growth.Method:A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used in this study. Convenient sampling was adopted from the pediatric and rheumatic immunology department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital.187 Parents were recruited. The Post Traumatic Growth was measured by the Post Traumatic Growth Inventory. A series of instruments, the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, Perceived Social Support Scale and the General information questionnaire were used to measure the influencing factors. Multiple linear regressions were used to determine the influencing factors of Post Traumatic Growth. Semi-structured individual interviews were used to get a clear understanding of the experience of their Post Traumatic Growth.Results:(1) The average score of Posttraumatic growth Inventory was (64.28±18.37). The scores of five dimensions from high to low are appreciation of life (3.59±1.09), personal strength (3.47±1.11), spiritual change (3.11±1.30), relating to others (2.99±0.97), new possibilities (2.49±1.12). (2) Multiple linear regression results showed that the influencing factors for total scores of Post Traumatic Growth were coping style, social support, education degree, marital status, type of the medical treatment and the course of the disease, which explained 49.8% of the variance of PTG. Parents of children with positive coping styles, a higher level of social support (support from the family, relatives, leadership and the colleagues) will have a higher level of PTG, also, the parents with a low education level, the divorced or widowed, have a higher PTG, the parents of hospitalized children and those having a longer course of disease will have a higher PTG. (3) Through inductive thematic analysis, three themes were derived, including nine sub-themes. The key themes were the insights on life (treasure for life, new values and life priorities, self adjustment and face the reality), personal strength(self dependence, self enhancement), relating to others(greater sense of closeness and family togetherness, cherish the parent-child love, benefit from peer and other professional support, promotion of altruism).Conclusion:A relatively middle level of Posttraumatic growth exists among the parents of children with rheumatic disease. Parents’coping style, social support (support from the family, relatives, leadership and the colleagues), education degree, marital status, type of the medical treatment and the course of the disease are main influencing factors of their PTG.