Trajectories of Psychosocial Adjustment in Adolescents with Spina Bifida: A Six-Year Four-Wave Longitudinal Follow-Up

Author(s)

Grayson N. Holmbeck, Loyola University Chicago
Christian DeLucia, Nova Southeastern University, Center for Psych StudiesFollow
Bonnie Essner, Loyola University Chicago
Lauren Kelly, Loyola University Chicago
Kathy Zebracki, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Chicago
Deborah Friedman, Massachusetts General Hospital
Barbara Jandasek, Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-2010

Publication Title

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

Volume

78

Issue/Number

4

First Page

511

ISSN

0022-006X

Last Page

525

Abstract/Excerpt

Objective: As a follow-up to an earlier cross-sectional study (Holmbeck et al., 2003), the current multimethod, multi-informant investigation examined individual growth in psychosocial adjustment across the adolescent transition in 2 samples: young adolescents with spina bifida (SB) and typically developing adolescents (N=68 in both groups at Time 1). Method: Growth curve modeling procedures were used to describe the developmental course of psychosocial adjustment across 4 waves of data collection from ages 8 to 15. Child gender was included in the models as a moderator of associations between illness status and adjustment trajectories. Results and Conclusions: Findings revealed that preadolescent differences between groups were maintained for several adjustment variables, indicating that adolescents with SB have enduring academic and attention problems and difficulties with social development (e.g., fewer friends and less influence during family interactions). For other outcomes, trajectories of adjustment levels for adolescents with SB converged on levels observed in comparison adolescents, indicating some areas of resilience. Girls with SB were at risk for increasing levels of social difficulties and negative perceptions of their physical appearance. Clinical implications are discussed.

DOI

10.1037/a0019599

NSUWorks Citation

Holmbeck, G. N., DeLucia, C., Essner, B., Kelly, L., Zebracki, K., Friedman, D., Jandasek, B. (2010). Trajectories of Psychosocial Adjustment in Adolescents with Spina Bifida: A Six-Year Four-Wave Longitudinal Follow-Up. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78(4), 511-525.
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cps_facarticles/438