Controlling for general and disease-specific effects in child and family adjustment to chronic childhood illness

Investigated the differential associations of asthma and diabetes on children's self-competence, family functioning, and maternal coping. Interactions of gender with the presence of chronic childhood illness were also assessed. Seventy-two children with diabetes and 40 children with asthma participated as subjects. Mothers completed measures of family functioning, coping, and disease severity while children completed Harter's (1985) Self-Perception Profile for Children. Results indicated that gender and type of chronic illness were independently associated with children's self-competence and family functioning but not maternal coping. However, differences attributable to specific illnesses dissipated once general family factors and general chronic childhood illness variables were controlled statistically. Differences based on child gender remained robust. Results are discussed within the context of categorical and noncategorical approaches to the study of chronic childhood illness