Cited 13 times since 2010 (0.9 per year) source: EuropePMC Child: care, health and development, Volume 36, Issue 5, 15 3 2010, Pages 703-708 Short-term changes in parents' resolution regarding their young child's diagnosis of cerebral palsy. Rentinck IC, Ketelaar M, Schuengel C, Stolk J, Lindeman E, Jongmans MJ, Gorter JW

Objective

This study aimed to describe changes in parents' resolution regarding their young child's diagnosis of cerebral palsy over a period of 1 year, and to describe the changes in strategies of resolution.

Methods

In this longitudinal study, 38 parents of children with cerebral palsy (mean age 18.4 months, SD = 1.1 at baseline) were followed with the Reaction to Diagnosis Interview, assessing their personal reactions to their child's diagnosis (i.e. resolution status). Changes at main and subclassification level of the Reaction to Diagnosis Interview were investigated using a binominal test.

Results

Twenty-nine parents (76%) were found to be stable with respect to their main resolution status (i.e. 'resolved' or 'unresolved'), while 24% of the parents either had changed from 'unresolved' to 'resolved' or in the opposite way. Furthermore, of the 28 parents who were classified as 'resolved' at both times, 15 (54%) had changed at subclassification level with respect to the specific strategies used.

Conclusion

Resolution at a main level of parental reactions to their child's diagnosis was predominantly stable. Most parents were classified as 'resolved' at both baseline and follow-up assessment. However, more detailed analyses at subclassification level showed that most parents with a 'resolved' main status showed changing patterns of resolution strategies to their child's diagnosis, suggesting that resolution is an ongoing process.

Child Care Health Dev. 2010 4;36(5):703-708