Differential Effect of Illness Intrusiveness on Adjustment among Native and Caucasian Parents of Children with Juvenile Rheumatic Disease

Abstract

This study examines possible ethnic differences in coping among the parents of Caucasian and Native American children with Juvenile Rheumatoid Disease (JRD). Research in this area has been extremely limited, despite the high prevalence of JRD among Native American populations. This study investigates the illness intrusiveness-parental distress relationship among both Caucasian and Native American parents of children and adolescents diagnosed with a JRD. In other words, the potential moderating role of ethnicity on the illness intrusiveness-parental distress relationship is examined. Results demonstrate that Native American parents report significantly higher levels of global distress when their child's illness is highly intrusive to their lives. A significant relationship between illness intrusiveness and distress was not observed among the Caucasian sample.