189 PARENTING STRESS IN BLADDER AND BOWEL DYSFUNCTION

Abstract

You have accessJournal of UrologyPediatrics: Dysfunctional Voiding/Enuresis1 Apr 2013189 PARENTING STRESS IN BLADDER AND BOWEL DYSFUNCTION Cortney Wolfe-Christensen, Alexandra Manolis, William Guy, Natalija Kovacevic, Najeeb Zoubi, Mohammad El-Baba, Larisa Kovacevic, and Yegappan Lakshmanan Cortney Wolfe-ChristensenCortney Wolfe-Christensen Detroit, MI More articles by this author , Alexandra ManolisAlexandra Manolis Detroit, MI More articles by this author , William GuyWilliam Guy Detroit, MI More articles by this author , Natalija KovacevicNatalija Kovacevic Detroit, MI More articles by this author , Najeeb ZoubiNajeeb Zoubi Detroit, MI More articles by this author , Mohammad El-BabaMohammad El-Baba Detroit, MI More articles by this author , Larisa KovacevicLarisa Kovacevic Detroit, MI More articles by this author , and Yegappan LakshmananYegappan Lakshmanan Detroit, MI More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2013.02.1569AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Parents of children with medical conditions are at increased risk for maladaptive outcomes, such as higher levels of parenting stress. Additionally, elevated levels of parenting stress have been linked to higher levels of caregiver anxiety and depression, and can negatively affect medical decision-making and compliance with treatment recommendations. The current study sought to evaluate levels of stress in parents of children with bladder and bowel dysfunction. METHODS Participants included 72 parents (56 mothers, 16 fathers) of children seen for bladder and/or bowel dysfunction in either the Pediatric Urology or Pediatric Gastroenterology outpatient clinics in an urban Children's Hospital (Table 1). Parents completed the Parenting Stress Index ? Short Form (PSI), a 36-item, validated, self-report measure that assesses level of parental stress. Additionally, parents and their children completed the Dysfunctional Voiding Scoring System (DVSS), a 10-item, validated measure that assesses severity of voiding dysfunction. RESULTS Level of parenting stress was not significantly associated with any demographic variables (e.g., parent age, gender, or level of education, child age or gender, Urology or GI clinic, and annual household income). Bivariate correlations revealed significant relationships between level of parenting stress, and DVSS items #8 (i.e., ?child has to push to pee?, r(72)=.27, p=.020), #10 (i.e., ?child has experienced something stressful over last month?, r(72)=.33, p=.004) and Total Score (r(72)=.32, p=.006). Additionally, 15.3% (11/72) of the parents met the established cut-off for having a clinically significant level of stress, which is consistent with percentages reported in other pediatric illness groups (e.g., cancer, diabetes). CONCLUSIONS For parents of children with bladder and bowel dysfunction, level of parenting stress is related to the severity of the child's voiding problems. Given the system-wide effect of elimination dysfunction on the child's family, it is important that interventions be family-based. Early identification of significantly distressed families, and a program of inclusive therapy may yield better outcomes in the management of dysfunctional elimination disorders. Table 1. Demographic Characteristics of Sample Parent Gender 56 Mothers, 16 Fathers Parent Age (M +/− SD) 39.14 +/− 6.51 (range: 28-60) Race/Ethnicity Caucasian 62.5% (N=45) African American 20.8% (N=15) Other 12.5% (N=9) Not Provided 12.5% (N=9) Marital Status Married 72.2% (N=52) Single Parent 16.7% (N=12) Other 6.9% (N=5) Not Provided 4.2% (N=3) Child Gender 43 Males, 29 Females Child Age (M +/− SD) 9.56 +/− 3.70 (range: 4-17) © 2013 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 189Issue 4SApril 2013Page: e78 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2013 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Cortney Wolfe-Christensen Detroit, MI More articles by this author Alexandra Manolis Detroit, MI More articles by this author William Guy Detroit, MI More articles by this author Natalija Kovacevic Detroit, MI More articles by this author Najeeb Zoubi Detroit, MI More articles by this author Mohammad El-Baba Detroit, MI More articles by this author Larisa Kovacevic Detroit, MI More articles by this author Yegappan Lakshmanan Detroit, MI More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...