Abstrakt

The growing number of children and adolescents suffering from a chronic disease issues huge challenges to the psychosocial care system. A chronic disease means to adjust to a life with the disease and its specific demands. Hence, chronic diseases require a comprehensive care taking into account the bio-psycho-social understanding of disease. The pediatric medical rehabilitation is an important pillar in children and adolescent care, but it also has to give consideration to the special demands of this age group. For children and adolescents, the inclusion of the social environment is crucial for a long-lasting setup of healthy behaviors. Using the example of obesity, the central role of the family lifestyle in maintaining the clinical picture is demonstrated. Efficacy studies support the very positive effects of residential rehabilitation, but also point out the problem of sustaining treatment success. One possible explanation is deficient inclusion of parents into treatment. We present the training program “Fit together”, developed especially for parents of children aged 7 – 12, who participate in a residential rehabilitation without parent company. Via 10 topics, parents reflect their responsibility and opportunities for action. They also attain specific competences on how to change the child’s and family’s nutrition and physical activity to ensure long-lasting maintenance of weight reduction. The program’s long-term efficacy is currently evaluated in a randomized control study (EPOC – Empowerment of parents of obese children).

Autoreninformation

Autoren

• P. Warschburger

Abteilungen

• Beratungspsychologie, Universität Potsdam

Adresse

Prof. Dr. phil. Petra Warschburger
Beratungspsychologie
Universität Potsdam
Karl-Liebknechtstraße 24 – 25
D–14476 Potsdam
Email: [email protected]

Citation