Psychosocial functioning in children and young adults with juvenile arthritis.

A questionnaire survey of 363 children and young adults with juvenile arthritis was conducted to assess the relations among disease severity, psychosocial functioning, and adjustment in three age groups--primary school, high school, and young adult. Parents were surveyed separately to determine which characteristics of the ill child at different ages most significantly impact the well-being of the family. Indices of psychologic functioning and disease severity were associated with adjustment in the primary school and high school groups, whereas measures of social relationships were strongly associated with adjustment only in the high school group. Relations among measures of psychologic functioning, social relationships, disease severity, and adjustment in young adults were minimal. Level of disease severity was associated with the presence of financial concerns, emotional problems, and physical strain in parents of high school children and young adults. The results emphasize the importance of using a developmental model for understanding the adjustment of individuals with chronic juvenile arthritis and their families.