[Children and adolescents with retarded growth due to hypopituitarism: a review of the psychosocial literature].

The research on the psychosocial development of children and adolescents with growth-retardation due to idiopathic hypopituitarism is reviewed. The results of this--scarce and not very recent--research appear to be far from consistent. There is disagreement, both as to the nature and to the seriousness of the psychosocial implications of the growth-retardation. Some research-workers stress the existence of psychological and social problems of a very serious nature and are convinced of the necessity of intensive psychotherapeutic help. The presence of such problems is denied by others and only occasionally some support should be needed. All authors agree, however, about adolescence being a psychosocially critical period. Furthermore in this review, the methodology of previous research is criticized.