Children's behavioural and emotional reactions towards living with congenital heart disease in Saudi Arabia

A grounded theory study

Bibliographic Data

ID19508112
AuthorsNada Dahlawi (0000-0001-9248-1785, Nursing Faculty King Abdulaziz University Jeddah Saudi Arabia, corresponding author), Linda Milnes (0000-0002-1110-6527, School of Healthcare University of Leeds Leeds UK), Veronica Swallow (0000-0001-8504-4704, Department of Nursing and Midwifery Sheffield Hallam University Sheffield UK)
Year2024
Volume27
Issue2
Pagese13959-e13959
Publication date2024-04-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Expectations (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1369-6513 • E-ISSN: 1369-7625
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/hex.13959
PMID38411365
OpenAlexW4392197943
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited38

BACKGROUND: A high incidence of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) was found in Saudi Arabia (SA). International literature reports that children with CHD exhibit behavioural and emotional issues due to experiencing hospitalisation and clinical treatments combined with a dearth of qualitative understanding of the experiences of younger children with CHD. Therefore, the aim was to explore the behaviour and emotions of 4-10-year-olds with CHD in SA through children's accounts of their own experiences and parental proxy reports of children's behaviour and emotions. METHODS: Charmaz's constructivist grounded theory (GT) approach was used. Twenty single semi-structured interviews of 10 child/parent dyads were undertaken at a hospital clinic in SA. Children's interviews were combined with an arts-based approach using drawings, pictures and faces of emotions (emojis). Constant comparison analysis was undertaken. Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research guidelines was followed in reporting this study. FINDINGS: A substantive GT: children's behavioural and emotional reactions towards stressors related to living with CHD was developed and provides new insights into children's and parents' perceptions of the children's behavioural and emotional reactions to living with CHD in SA. The theory proposes that children's reactions to living with CHD relate to medical treatment stressors, sociocultural stressors and physical change stressors. Several further factors influenced children's responses to these stressors. CONCLUSION: Children and parents in SA contributed to a new understanding of the relationship between CHD and children's behavioural and emotional reactions. In addition, findings support the need for early assessment of behaviour and emotions among children with CHD and the application of preventative and supportive measures for the children and their families in SA. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Before the research commenced, the developmental appropriateness of the proposed arts-based data collection tools was tested with three healthy children aged 6-9 years old; the tools were then revised accordingly before the interviews were undertaken

Cardiology · Developmental psychology · Grounded theory · Heart disease · Qualitative research · Sociology · Childhood Cancer Survivors' Quality of Life · Clinical Psychology · Congenital Heart Disease Studies · Infant Development and Preterm Care · Medicine · Psychology · Gerontology

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