Childhood stress and the perception of family support of children undergoing orthopedic surgery

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the correlation between the levels of stress of children from 11 to 14 years of age after orthopedic surgery, and their perceived quality of family support received during the process of physical rehabilitation. Method: This is a cross-sectional study with qualitative and quantitative analysis, developed in a rehabilitation center, in Sao Paulo. The following instruments were applied in the patients: Childhood Stress Scale (CSS) and Perceived Family Support Inventory (PFSI), along with a characterization questionnaire of the participants, which was applied to the patients caretakers. Results: Data was statistically analyzed and statistical significance was observed between the adaptation factor (PFSI) and the domain of psychological reactions with depressive component (CSS). There was significant correlation between the total score of the CSS and PFSI – 73%. Children with significant levels of stress presented low/mediumlow perception of family support. Discussion: Patient`s perception regarding their environment and relations is an important indication of how they deal with adverse situations of their social life, according to association found in this study. Conclusion: The aspects related to child’s cognitive and emotional maturity contribute to the perception of family support quality. It is important that further studies are conducted to enlarge discussions in this area