RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Psychological Intervention for Adolescents with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: For Whom and When?
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP jrheum.120741
DO 10.3899/jrheum.120741
A1 Coralie Elisabeth  Fuchs
A1 Stefan Matthijs  van Geelen
A1 Hubertus Johannes Matthias  Hermans
A1 Elise Machteld  van de Putte
A1 Rolf  van Geel
A1 Gerben Sinnema
A1 Wietse Kuis
YR 2013
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2013/02/12/jrheum.120741.abstract
AB Objective To study which adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) benefit from psychological intervention, and what is the best moment for it. Methods In 3 months, 28 adolescents with JIA and 14 healthy adolescents as a control group received psychological intervention with the Self-confrontation Method (SCM), which combines the personal narrative with its affective structure. The adolescents with JIA were split into groups with low health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and high HRQOL. The Child Health Questionnaire, Checklist Individual Strength, and Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire were used to measure fatigue and physical and psychosocial functioning at baseline, and at 3 months and 9 months after baseline. Results Adolescents with JIA and low HRQOL at baseline reported less fatigue and better HRQOL after psychological intervention. These changes could not be explained by changes in disease activity. Low HRQOL at baseline was associated with a more recent onset of JIA, higher levels of pain, more severe physical disability, and higher levels of fatigue. Conclusion Two-thirds of adolescents with JIA function well before and after psychological intervention. One-third of adolescents with JIA reporting low HRQOL at baseline benefit from guided self-reflections and should be the focus of psychological intervention. The most effective moment for this psychological intervention is when the adolescent reports difficulties in HRQOL.