Depression, anxiety, and hopelessness in a sample of Egyptian children diagnosed with cystic fibrosis

Abstract

Even though current therapeutic approaches have significantly increased the longevity and standard of living for children suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF), the crucial psychological components of this illness have not received the same level of attention as other chronic illnesses. The aim of the research was to assess depression, anxiety, and hopelessness in cystic fibrosis-affected children and their relation to the duration of illness. In this study, we compared 40 healthy control children between the ages of 7 and 12 with 40 cystic fibrosis children who were matched for age and sex. All patients had detailed clinical and psychometric evaluations using the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI), the Anxiety Scale for Children (ASC), and the Hopelessness Scale for Children (HSC). The CDI, ASC, and HSC revealed a significant difference between both groups. Positive correlations between depression, anxiety, and hopelessness and disease duration were found. Patients with CF experienced significantly increased depression, anxiety, and hopelessness, and there is an association between these symptoms and the duration of the illness. We advise making psychiatric screening a standard part of evaluating and monitoring CF patients.