Key result
Corrected congenital heart disease in young adults shows similar emotional and behavioral outcomes to peers.
Why the study?
The long-term occurrence of behavioural and emotional problems after surgical correction for congenital heart disease in infancy and childhood was unclear.
Do young adults with surgically corrected congenital heart disease have higher rates of behavioural and emotional problems compared to the general population?
Cross-Sectional (n=166)
Do young adults with surgically corrected congenital heart disease have higher rates of behavioural and emotional problems compared to the general population?
Young adults who underwent surgical correction for congenital heart disease in childhood show overall favourable long-term psychological outcomes, with only minor differences in specific problem areas compared to peers.
May reassure on long-term behavioral normality after early CHD repair; leaves open targeted research into specific emotional domains or subgroups.
AIMS: The aim of the present study was to assess the occurrence of a wide range of behavioural and emotional problems long-term (> 9 years) after surgical correction for congenital heart disease in infancy and childhood. METHODS: The problem scores on the Young Adult Self-Report of 166 19-25-year-old adults with congenital heart disease were compared with those of subjects of similar age from the general population. RESULTS: On most Young Adult Self-Report scales no differences were found between the mean problem scores of the congenital heart disease-adults and reference peers. On only two Young Adult Self-Report scales (i.e. Somatic Complaints and Strange) and the total problem score were significant though small differences found between the mean problem scores of the congenital heart disease adults and reference peers. No significant relationship was found between cardiac diagnosis and problem behaviours in congenital heart disease adults. No relationship was found between IQ scores and problem behaviours in congenital heart disease adults. CONCLUSION: Overall, it can be concluded that the results of the congenital heart disease adults were not unfavourable, since the differences in mean (total) problem scores between the congenital heart disease sample and reference group were small and limited to only two specific problem areas.
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Elisabeth M. W. J. Utens (1998) conducted a cross-sectional in Congenital heart disease (n=166). Congenital heart disease surgically corrected in infancy and childhood vs. Subjects of similar age from the general population was evaluated on Young Adult Self-Report problem scores. Young adults with surgically corrected congenital heart disease had similar behavioral and emotional problem scores to general population peers, with small differences in only two specific areas.