Affiliations: Medizinische Universität Wien | Fakultät für Psychologie der
Universität Wien
Note: [] Korrespondenzadresse: Mag. Dr. Marion Herle, Univ. Klinik
für Kinderund Jugendheilkunde, AG Klinische Psychologie, Währinger
Gürtel 18–20, 1090Wien, Österreich. Tel.: +431 40400-3263; Fax:
+431 40 400-3260; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Objectives: Sense of coherence as a resource of resilience is
closely associated with health and well-being. The present study examined
whether parents of sick children/adolescents differ from parents of healthy
children/ adolescents in regard to their sense of coherence. Additionally
subsamples from parents whose children suffer from different chronic illnesses
or mental health problems were compared with each other. Interrelations between
the sense of coherence and neuroticism were examined. Methods: Results of the Heidelberger Sense of Coherence
Questionnaire and the Scale for Neuroticism from the Trierer Integrative
Personality Inventory of mothers and fathers (n=441) of chronically sick
children and children with mental health problems were compared to those of a
control group (n=174). Results: Mothers of the clinical overall sample showed a
significantly lower sense of coherence than mothers of healthy children. In
fathers no such differences were found. No significant differences between
different types of illness could be identified. Correlations between sense of
coherence and neuroticism were between r = −0.50 and −0.75. Conclusion: It seems that through the child's illness the mother's
sense of coherence is negatively affected. Parents, especially mothers of
seriously ill children should therefore be offered
psychological-psychotherapeutical and/or psychosocial support.
Keywords: Sense of coherence, children/adolescents, chronic disease, mental health problems, resources
