Illness through the eyes of the child: the development of children's understanding of the causes of illness

In this study 158 children, 80 children with diabetes mellitus and 78 healthy classmates, were interviewed about their concept of different types of illness (a cold, diabetes, infection, the most and least serious disease) and illness-related concepts (pain, becoming ill and going to the doctor or hospital). Special attention was given to the relationship between development of thinking and the variables anxiety, locus of control and family- and school functioning. The results show that the ideas of the children about the causes of illness follow a sequence of developmental stages, described as 'Through the Eyes of the Child' (TEC) model. Perception seems to be the child's central auto regulative system of cognitive development. The findings suggest that thinking about illness develops relatively independently of other influences. The practical relevance of knowing how children's thinking about illness develops is elaborated in terms of their implications for health education. Immature thoughts of children about illness can be detected and accepted and not dismissed as irrational. With the help of this model, health education of the child can be facilitated.

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP Hälsovetenskap Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi hsv//swe
MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES Health Sciences Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology hsv//eng
Case-Control Studies
Child
*Child Development
Chronic Disease/psychology
Diabetes Mellitus
Type 1/psychology
Disease/*psychology
Factor Analysis
Statistical
*Health Education
*Health Knowledge
Attitudes
Practice
Humans
Matched-Pair Analysis
Netherlands
Regression Analysis
cognitive development
perception
children
illness concepts
health
education

Baars, R. M. (author)
Chaplin, John,1955Lund University,Lunds universitet,Gothenburg University,Göteborgs universitet,Institutionen för kvinnors och barns hälsa, Avdelningen för pediatrik,Institute for the Health of Women and Children, Dept of Paediatrics,Pediatrik, Lund,Sektion V,Institutionen för kliniska vetenskaper, Lund,Medicinska fakulteten,Paediatrics (Lund),Section V,Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund,Faculty of Medicine(Swepub:lu)pedi-jch (author)
Zwinderman, K. H. (author)
Göteborgs universitetInstitutionen för kvinnors och barns hälsa, Avdelningen för pediatrik (creator_code:org_t)

By the author/editor: Koopman, H. M.; Baars, R. M.; Chaplin, John, 1 ...; Zwinderman, K. H ...

About the subject

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: MEDICAL AND HEAL ...; and Health Sciences; and Public Health Gl ...

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