Difference in cognitive emotional regulation strategies used by mothers with conflict and barrier personal meaning of child's illness

Abstract

Introduction

A number of studies have noted a high level of symptoms of depression and anxiety in mothers bringing up children with burn injury. The emergence of such symptoms show high importance of child's disease situation to mother and suggests the formation of a special personal meaning of child's illness for mother (conflict or barrier). The aim of this study is to describe specific patterns of mothers responding on the situation of the child burn injuries : special cognitive emotion regulation strategies and personal meaning of illness.

Methods

Clinical interview to assess personal meaning of illness, State Trait Anxiety Inventor, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire.

Participants

Twenty-eight mothers (aged between 22 to 43 years), children received burn 5-7 days ago ; 2 mothers (aged between 24 to 37 years), children had burns over a year ago.

Results

We found a strong correlation between using certain strategies of cognitive emotion regulation and different personal meaning of child's illness : mothers with a conflict meaning characterized by using of « Rumination » and « Self-Blame » strategies ; mothers with barrier meaning – « Refocus on planning ». This connection is maintained throughout the child's illness and does not depend on medical specialties. A number of strategies of cognitive emotion regulation are used by all mothers at different stages of the child's illness, regardless of the mother's personal meaning of illness : immediately after injury the most popular strategies are “Catastrophizing” and « Self-Blame » ; in the long-term rehabilitation – « Putting into perspective » is the most common one.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.