The evaluation of depression, social anxiety, alexithymia on children and adolescent with chronic renal failure

Keskin, G. and Bilge, A. (2009) The evaluation of depression, social anxiety, alexithymia on children and adolescent with chronic renal failure. Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry (Anadolu Psikiyatri Dergisi), 10 (4). pp. 318-324.

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Abstract

Objectives: Child and adolescents with end stage renal disease (ESRD) have many mental abnormalities. Little is known about living depression, alexithymia, social anxiety during dialysis and after kidney transplantation on child and adolescents with renal failure. The aim of this study was to determine mental outcome of end-stage renal disease on adolescent and children Methods: The sample was consisted of 86 adolescent, ages 11 to 17 years chronic renal failure and adolescent consecutively admitted to the Ege University Hospital Child Nephrology Department. Three instruments were used to explore the presence of probable depression and alexithymia, social anxiety of the adolescent and children: Children’s Depression Inventory, Social Anxiety Scale for Children- Revised, Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Adolescent and their parents were orally provided with information about the study and were told that participation was voluntary. All the adolescents and their parents were informed about the study and were gave written informed consent. Results: In the research group there were 47 (54.7%) girls and 39 (45.3%) boys and their mean age was 15.03±3.4 years. 81.4% adolescent were alexithymic (47.7%) or suspicious alexithymic (47.7%). The mean Toronto Alexithymia Scale score of the study group was 69.7±10.0. The depression scores were increased with alexithymic adolescent. There was positive correlations between depression and social anxiety in adolescent with renal failure (p=0.004, r=0.390). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that, the adolescent with chronic renal failure demonstrated depressive, more social anxiety, and alexithymic problems. In addition to pharmacologic treatment, psychotherapeutic approaches should have an important place in the treatment of this disorder.

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