Depressive symptoms in parents of adolescents with myelomeningocele: The association of clinical, adolescent neuropsychological functioning, and family protective factors

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Brei, Timothy J.^; | Woodrome, Stacey E. | Fastenau, Philip S.^; | Buran, Constance F. | Sawin, Kathleen J.^;

Affiliations: Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA | Developmental Pediatrics, Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, IN, USA | Department of Psychology, Purdue School of Science, IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN, USA | Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN, USA | Ambulatory Administrations, Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health, Indianapolis, IN, USA | Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA | College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA

Note: [] Corresponding author: Timothy J. Brei, Seattle Children's Hospital, 4800 Sand Point Way NE, OC.9.840, Seattle, WA 98105, USA. Tel.: +1 206 987 2210; Fax: +1 206 987 3824; E-mail: timothy.brei@seattlechildrens.org

Abstract: PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine if neuropsychological functioning and family protective factors are related to depressive symptoms in parents of adolescents with myelomeningocele (MMC). METHODS: Fifty adolescents (28 females, 22 males; predominately Caucasian; ages 12–21 years, M=15.7, SD=2.4) and their parents from a large Midwestern MMC Program participated in a cross-sectional descriptive mixed-methods study. Participants completed measures of adolescent clinical status (WeeFIM®, Demographic and Clinical Information Form), neuropsychological (NP) functioning, family protective factors and parents' depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Parents' depressive symptoms correlated significantly with NP functioning in the domains of Mental Processing Speed, Psychomotor Speed, Executive Functioning, Fine Motor Skills, and Language, and with each self-reported family protective factor. Multiple regression analysis revealed independent main effects for the NP variable, Executive Functioning and the Family Protective Factors Composite (p< 0.05); there was no interaction (p> 0.10). CONCLUSION: Clinicians are especially encouraged to include assessment of parental depressive symptoms if the adolescent has executive functioning impairments or if the parents have few family protective factors.

Keywords: Myelomeningocele, spina bifida, mental health, depressive symptoms, parents, cognition, adolescent

DOI: 10.3233/PRM-140303

Journal: Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 341-352, 2014