Children's and adolescents' understanding of their small ventricular septal defects

The association between the social adaptive skills of school-aged children with congenital heart disease and mothers' decision factors for providing disease explanations in Japan: a cross-sectional study

Purpose

This study aimed to clarify the factors related to mothers' decisions to provide disease explanations to their children, investigate the associations between those factors and social adaptive skills, and examine support relative to children's growth and development.

Methods

Data were collected from anonymous, self-administered questionnaires answered by 71 mothers of outpatient school-aged children with congenital heart disease. The questionnaire items included characteristics of mothers and children, decision factors for providing disease explanations, and children's social adaptive skills (Asahide-Shiki social adaptive skills test). Factor analysis was performed on the decision factors, and multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the association between the identified factors and each social adaptive skill.

Results

The decision factors for providing disease explanations were the mother's explanation ability, the receptive capability of the child, and the child's interest and literacy regarding the explanation. Multiple regression analysis showed that language and social life skills were significantly associated with the child's receptive capability, and language and daily life skills were significantly associated with the child's interest and literacy regarding the explanation.

Conclusion

Improving children's language, social life, and daily life skills may enhance their receptive capability and literacy regarding explanations of their disease.