Congenital gastrointestinal anomalies: psychosocial functioning of children with imperforate anus, gastroschisis, and omphalocele.

This study assessed the psychosocial status of 56 children aged 6-16 years with imperforate anus, gastroschisis, or omphalocele. Results indicate that (a) children were of average intellectual ability; (b) approximately 9% of the sample had learning disabilities; (c) although the mean maternal ratings of behavioral adjustment did not differ from those reported for children without anomalies, approximately 18% of the children had deviant adjustment scores; (d) a multivariate risk and resistance model accounted for a significant amount of the variance in children's adjustment; and (e) child, maternal, and family utilitarian and psychological risk and resistance resources contributed independently to children's overall behavioral adjustment.