A randomized controlled trial of interventions to promote adjustment in children with congenital heart disease entering school and their families.

OBJECTIVE To report on a randomized controlled trial of psychological interventions to promote adjustment in children with congenital heart disease and their families. METHOD Following baseline assessment, 90 children (aged 4-5 years) and their families were randomly assigned to an Intervention or Control group before entering school. 68 (76%) were retained at 10-month follow-up. RESULTS Gains were observed on measures of maternal mental health and family functioning. Although no differences were found on measures of child behavior at home or school, children in the intervention group were perceived as "sick" less often by their mother and missed fewer days from school. A regression model, using baseline measures as predictors, highlighted the importance of maternal mental health, worry and child neurodevelopmental functioning for child behavioral outcomes almost a year later. CONCLUSIONS The intervention promoted clinically significant gains for the child and family. The program is of generalizable significance.