Overprotective parenting, parental perceptions of child vulnerability and developmental outcomes in children with congenital heart disease.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between overprotective parenting, parental perceptions of child vulnerability, and developmental outcomes in children with moderate to complex congenital heart disease (CHD).

METHODS

A cross-sectional, comparative design was conducted with 236 Lebanese parents and their children [118 CHD and 118 healthy controls] aged one to five years. Data on parenting practices were gathered using the Child Vulnerability Scale and Parental Protection Scale and child development using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire 3. Other parent psychosocial and child temperament variables were obtained and clinical data extracted from the medical records. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlational and multivariable linear regression analyses.

RESULTS

Parents of children with CHD exhibited significantly higher overprotective parenting (p < 0.001) and perceived their child as more vulnerable (p < 0.001) than parents of healthy children. In the CHD group, parental perception of child vulnerability was associated with poor gross motor skills (p = 0.002) and personal-social development (p = 0.046), while overprotective parenting was negatively associated with communication (p = 0.028), and personal social development (p = 0.037). Predictors of development were child and parental age, time since last cardiac surgery, parental stress, education level, crowding index and gender of the child.

CONCLUSION

Healthcare providers may need to consider the diverse parental and child factors identified to initiate interventions aimed at parenting practices, realistic perceptions of their child's vulnerability, and reducing overprotectiveness to support favorable developmental outcomes in Lebanese children with CHD.