| Description |
Accidental injury is a major health problem of children in the United States. Although much research has been done with children having frequent, serious accidents, there has been little research done with children have repeated minor accidents and illnesses. Because of this, a study of children requesting health care for both minor injuries and illnesses was indicated. This study was concerned with psychosocial factors associated with repeated emergency service visits of children with the primary variables considered being personality traits of the child and recent life stress of the family. A sample of 46 children ages eight through eleven years having at least one admission to a hospital emergency service department was contacted at two agencies in Salt Lake City, Utah: Primary Children's Medical Center and University Hospital. The emergency services utilized were the emergency room and pediatric walk-in clinic at University Hospital and the emergency room at Primary Children's Medical Center. Children hospitalized following illness or injury that brought them for emergency services were excluded from the study and children with previously diagnosed chronic diseases were also excluded. The contact with the child and his parent was made at the agency by either the receptionist of the researcher. A form letter was given to the parents inviting participation in the study and an appointment was made for an interview in the home if they agreed to participate. During the interview, the researcher administered the Children's Personality Questionnaire (CPQ) to the child and a modified version of the Schedule of Recent Experience (SRE) to the parent. The CPQ is a standardized pencil and paper test designed to measure 14 personality traits of children ages seven through twelve years. The SRE is a pencil and paper test designed to measure recent life stresses; it was modified in the scoring procedure to include a family component. Demographic data was also collected during the interview in the home. Five personality trait scores were discussed as being associated with the frequency of emergency services visits: Dominance (high Factor E score), Independence, Extroversion, Emotionality (Factor A) and Ego Strength (Factor C). Only the dominance personality trait score was statistically significant in correlation analysis with visits, (r = .36, p<.05), demonstrating that a more submissive child tends to have increased emergency service visits. The modified SE score was not significantly associated with the frequency of emergency visits (r =-.08, p<.05). Additional findings were that the child's age and school performance were statistically significant in correlation with emergency service visits. |
