Search

Objective. Children’s health beliefs are significantly related to their adherence; however, pediatric literature has rarely tested health-related theories as a whole. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the use of the health belief model (HBM) in understanding children’s adherence, both globally and to individual treatment components. Method. Thirty-three patient–parent dyads completed questionnaires regarding health beliefs and adherence to medical regimens. Results. Multiple linear regressions found a significant relationship among the HBM variables and reports of global adherence for children and parents. For children, the HBM variables were significantly related to adherence to aerosol medications, aerosol antibiotics, metered dose inhalers, and vitamins. For parents, the HBM variables were significantly related to children’s adherence to airway clearance, oral antibiotics, and vitamins. Paired sample t tests found children and parents had significantly discrepant heath beliefs. Conclusion. These findings provide further support for the HBM in evaluating pediatric adherence, with evidence that barriers and cues to action may be targets for early intervention. Future research using this model to identify a comprehensive way to assess, understand, and elicit change in the adherence to medical regimens for youth with chronic illness would be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 20% of children in the United States meet the criteria for a psychosocial disorder; however, less than 25% of these children receive psychosocial services. A questionnaire assessed primary care pediatricians’ (PCPs) perceptions of effectiveness, availability, and burden of treatment options for children’s psychosocial difficulties and parents’ acceptance and adherence with these treatments. Repeated measures analysis of variance found that PCPs are more likely to refer children with psychosocial problems to a mental health professional than to prescribe medication. PCPs prescribe medications more than counseling parents themselves or watchful waiting. PCPs reported children’s behavior is more likely to improve with mental health services than with medication, though medication is the most available treatment. PCPs believe parent training programs are very effective for treating children’s behavior problems, but believe parents are more accepting and compliant with other treatments. Findings indicate PCPs’ perceptions of availability and acceptability of treatment options drive their treatment recommendations of psychosocial problems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Caregiver developmental knowledge was tested as a moderator of the association between caregiver-perceived self-efficacy and perceived supervision to prevent childhood unintentional injury. Caregivers (N = 123; 95 mothers and 28 fathers) of children (M = 3.5 ± 1.2 years, 49.6% female, 80.8% Caucasian) were recruited from pediatric primary care offices and local message boards. All caregivers completed self-report questionnaires on perceived self-efficacy, developmental knowledge, and perceived supervision to prevent injury. Separate hierarchical linear regression models were conducted to test moderation for mothers and fathers. The interaction effect of perceived self-efficacy and developmental knowledge significantly predicted maternal-perceived supervision, R2 change = .06, F(1, 86) = 6.76, p < .01. No significant findings were detected for fathers. Models of studying injury prevention that consider complex cognitive-behavioral interactions and their potential modifiable role in the development of injury-prevention practices may elucidate upon the attitude–practice gap currently identified in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Pediatricians have been criticized for failing to identify psychosocial problems in their pediatric patients. Maternal disclosure is important for identification; however, many mothers fail to discuss their concerns with the pediatrician. The present study explored the hypothesis that mothers are seeking and receiving help from sources other than the pediatrician. Participants were 50 mothers who brought their 4-13-year-old child for a routine health supervision visit at a county-funded hospital serving primarily low-income families. Results indicated that mothers actively seek help from multiple sources and find the help they receive useful. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the perception of assertive behavior has suggested that although assertion may result in compliance with one's requests, assertion alone may be negatively evaluated. Recent research has suggested that an opportunity to observe models in commendatory situations may mitigate the negative impact of assertion. This study evaluated whether an opportunity to observe models in conversational situations could also mitigate the negative impact of assertion. Findings suggested that the addition of conversational comments to an individual's repertoire of social skills mitigated the negative perceptions of assertion alone. When compared with commendatory comments, conversational comments resulted in similar evaluations for females and more favorable evaluations for males. Also, the findings of the present study suggest a cumulative impact of exposure to assertion, implying possible artifactual results in some previous perception of assertiveness research. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The present study examined the impact of assertion, empathic assertion, and conversational behavior on the perception of likability and sex-role orientation of the asserter. Findings suggested that empathic comments mitigated the negative impact of assertion. Perceptions of sex-role indicated that males viewed assertive models as either androgynous or masculine whereas females tended to classify assertive models as masculine. Both males and females rated empathic assertive models as either androgynous or masculine. Possible clinical implications of sex-role-consistent assertive behavior and explanations for lack of assertiveness are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]