Coping in adolescents and young adults with chronic digestive disorders: Impact on school and leisure activities

Hiske Calsbeek, Mieke Rijken, Marc J.T.M. Bekkers, Gerard P. Van Berge Henegouwen, Joost Dekker

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Coping strategies were compared across adolescents and young adults with several chronic digestive disorders and healthy peers, and across age groups. Subsequently, the impact of coping on performance in school and leisure activities was investigated. Participants were adolescents and young adults (age 12 to 25 years) suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), chronic liver diseases, congenital diseases, coeliac disease or food allergy (total n =521) and healthy controls ( n =274). For comparison reasons, a generic coping measuring instrument was employed: the shortened version of the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS-21). The CISS-21 assesses three meta coping strategies: task-oriented, emotion-oriented and avoidance coping. Comparisons between several groups only revealed less use of coping strategies in the youngest adolescents. No differences were found among diagnostic groups, nor between diagnostic groups and control group. Coping was found to be related to school and leisure activities of adolescents and young adults with chronic digestive disorders.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)447-462
Number of pages16
JournalPsychology and Health
Volume21
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2006

Keywords

  • Adolescent
  • Chronic digestive disorders
  • Coping
  • Leisure
  • School

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