The relationship between parent stress and patient psychosocial quality of life outcomes measures

Lisa Martin^1,4, Dinithi Atapattu⁴, Victoria Shoesmith⁴, Suzanne Rea^2,3, Helen Douglas^2,3, Fiona Wood^1,2,3,
¹University Of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
²Burn Service of Western Australia, Murdoch, WA, Australia
³Perth Children’s Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia
⁴Fiona Wood Foundation, Murdoch, WA, Australia

Abstract

A burn occurring to a child is a stressful event for parents. Parents’ stress can affect their child, and children’s distress is often emotionally difficult for their parents. In order to help patients towards their best recovery, we need to understand these influences (Bakker et al., 2013).

Psychosocial quality of life outcomes of paediatric burn patients were measured using the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) (Varni et al., 2001) at time of admission, and 3m and 6m post-burn. Parents completed the Impact of Event Scale (Weiss, 2007) at six weeks post burn. Regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between patient psychosocial quality of life and the related parent scores.

Childrens’ overall psychosocial function from the PedsQL were lower than population norms. Parents scores of their child’s quality of life were not different to their child’s self scores for emotional, social and school function. Regression analysis were adjusted for gender and found that for parents who perceived poorer emotional functioning in their child, their IESR scores were higher.

Greater levels of parental stress at six weeks postburn might impact their child’s ongoing emotional functioning and recovery over the first six months following their injury. Identifying parents at risk gives the opportunity for intervention to help both parent’s and child’s quality of life in the first six months after burn.
BAKKER, A., et al. Course of traumatic stress reactions in couples after a burn event to their young child. Health Psychology, 32, 1076-1083.
VARNI, J., et al. PedsQL 4.0: reliability and validity if the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory version 4.0 generic core scales in healthy and patient populations. Medical Care, 39, 800-12.
WEISS, D. 2007. The Impact of Event Scale: Revised. In: WILSON, J. & CS, T. (eds.) Cross-cultural Assessment of Psychosocial Trauma and PTSD. Boston, MA: Springer.

Biography

Lisa is a research fellow who has worked in burns research since 2009. Her nursing background was in critical care, followed by clinical trials and research nursing in general medicine and cardiology. She has completed a PhD in psychological recovery after adult burn and continued post-doctoral studies in this area. She has a strong and active interest in burn prevention.