Medical and Parental Predictors of Self-Efficacy in Pediatric Chronic Illness
Self-efficacy, defined as the belief in one’s ability to succeed, is particularly important in youth struggling with chronic illness (CI) given its association with poorer adherence and worse prognosis. Parental factors such as income and marital status, and youth factors such as number of hospitalizations have been examined as contributing to self-efficacy in children. The aim of the current study was to assess the extent to which these variables predict self-efficacy in a sample of youth 8-17 suffering from CI. Data were collected from 217 families with a child with a CI aged 8-17, being seen by a medical provider within the Loma Linda University Health System. Parent participants provided demographic information, while youth participants completed a depression self-report measure and the Pediatric Rating of Chronic Illness Self-Efficacy (PRCISE), a validated 15-item self-report measure for self-efficacy in pediatric CI. A CI was defined as a physical or mental health condition that has lasted or is expected to last at least six months, and interferes with daily activities. The optimal linear combination of parental income, parental marital status, and number of hospitalizations accounted for 10% of the variance in PRCISE total scores, F(3, 153) = 6.87, p < .001. Having parents that earned less than $25,000 (b = -16.3, = -.23, 95% CI [-27.76, -4.84], sr2 = .05, p < .05), and having a single parent (b = -15.9, = -.2, 95% CI [-28.53, -3.35], sr2 = .04, p < .05) predicted lower self-efficacy. Number of hospitalizations did not significantly predict self-efficacy scores (sr2 = .0, p > .05). Youth with parents who had a low income, as well as those from single parent households exhibited lower self-efficacy. This study is unique in finding that parental socioeconomic factors and family structure may impact patient-level self-efficacy. Future research should explore whether additional family variables and health prognosis impact the relationship between chronic illness and self-efficacy in pediatric populations.
Child Psychology, Health Psychology, Adolescent; Child; Chronic Disease – psychology; Economic Status; Family Characteristics; Female; Humans; Male; Parents; Psychometrics; Self Efficacy
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