Facing Pediatric Rheumatic Diseases: The Role of Disease Activity and Parental Emotion Regulation Strategy in Parents’ and Children’s Psychological Adjustment
Emanuela Del Giudice,
Riccardo Lubrano,
Sonia Monique Bramanti,
Alessandra Babore,
Carmen Trumello,
Sara Giovanna De Maria,
Anna Dilillo,
Alessia Marcellino,
Vanessa Martucci,
Mariateresa Sanseviero,
Silvia Bloise,
Flavia Ventriglia,
Valerio Manippa
Affiliations
Emanuela Del Giudice
Pediatric and Neonatology Unit, Maternal and Child Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Polo Pontino, 04100 Latina, Italy
Riccardo Lubrano
Pediatric and Neonatology Unit, Maternal and Child Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Polo Pontino, 04100 Latina, Italy
Sonia Monique Bramanti
Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Alessandra Babore
Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Carmen Trumello
Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Sara Giovanna De Maria
Pediatric and Neonatology Unit, Maternal and Child Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Polo Pontino, 04100 Latina, Italy
Anna Dilillo
Pediatric and Neonatology Unit, Maternal and Child Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Polo Pontino, 04100 Latina, Italy
Alessia Marcellino
Pediatric and Neonatology Unit, Maternal and Child Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Polo Pontino, 04100 Latina, Italy
Vanessa Martucci
Pediatric and Neonatology Unit, Maternal and Child Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Polo Pontino, 04100 Latina, Italy
Mariateresa Sanseviero
Pediatric and Neonatology Unit, Maternal and Child Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Polo Pontino, 04100 Latina, Italy
Silvia Bloise
Pediatric and Neonatology Unit, Maternal and Child Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Polo Pontino, 04100 Latina, Italy
Flavia Ventriglia
Pediatric and Neonatology Unit, Maternal and Child Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Polo Pontino, 04100 Latina, Italy
Valerio Manippa
Department of Education, Psychology and Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70122 Bari, Italy
Background: Pediatric rheumatic diseases (PRDs) are a group of chronic disorders that start in childhood and are characterized by periodic exacerbations and remissions of symptoms, with limitations in family, school, and social activities. The aim of this study was to detect differences in parents’ psychological adjustment and emotion regulation strategies, and parent-reported children’s adjustments in families of children with active and inactive PRDs. Methods: Fifty-four parents (38 mothers and 16 fathers) of children with PRD were recruited from a pediatric unit. Disease activity was evaluated by their pediatric rheumatologist, while parents’ depressive and anxiety symptoms, emotion regulation strategies, and children’s emotional difficulties and hyperactivity–inattention symptoms were assessed through a web-based survey. Results: Parents of children with active PRDs reported higher levels of their child’s emotional difficulties and hyperactivity–inattention symptoms. Linear regression analysis demonstrated that having a child in the active phases of PRD and lower use of cognitive reappraisal lead to higher children’s emotional symptoms, while active disease, low use of cognitive reappraisal, and greater expressive suppression were associated with higher hyperactivity–inattention symptoms. Our study highlights that children with PRDs and their parents may be at increased risk for psychological problems, especially during the active disease phase, highlighting the importance of a multidisciplinary approach.
