Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with an unpredictable course, imposing substantial psychophysical burdens on parents of affected children. Psychological distress, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-related symptoms, is common in caregivers of children with chronic diseases. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of positive PTSD screening and its associated factors in parents of children with SLE. A cross-sectional study was conducted among parents of children with SLE at a Grade A tertiary pediatric hospital in China. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire and the Parent Trauma Symptom Scale for PTSD. Clinical trial number: not applicable. A total of 236 parents were included. The mean total Parent Trauma Symptom Scale score was 39.02 ± 8.78. Univariate and correlation analyses revealed significant associations between parental PTSS-P scores and the child’s SLE duration, parental gender, residence, education level, marital status, household income, and participation in SLE-related training (all P 1 year (OR = 4.793), female parent (OR = 2.789), rural residence (OR = 3.467), low education level (OR = 6.524), unmarried/divorced/widowed (OR = 3.882), low household income (OR = 2.685), and no prior SLE-related training (OR = 4.157) (all P < 0.05). Parents of children with SLE exhibit a moderate level of PTSD-related symptoms, with arousal and reactivity symptoms being the most prominent. Prominent arousal and reactivity symptoms suggest a potential link to chronic caregiver stress, which warrants further investigation.
Dai et al. (Sat,) studied this question.