Psychosocial factors that influence children with immune related health conditions

Turner-Cobb, Julie M. and Cheetham, Tara (2016) Psychosocial factors that influence children with immune related health conditions. In, DeMichelis, C. and Ferrari, M. (eds.) Child and Adolescent Resilience within Medical Contexts: Integrating research and practice. Springer London, pp. 13-36. (doi:10.1007/978-3-319-32223-0_2).

Abstract

This chapter examines resilience in children from a health psychology perspective, with a focus on the biopsychosocial approach and the science of psychoneuroimmunology. A central notion is that of resilience being both psychosocial and physiological in nature and that developing psychosocial resilience has the capacity to build physiological resilience. Immune-related conditions are of particular relevance in this context and three types of health conditions are examined in relation to resilience: atopic conditions including asthma and eczema; infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS; and autoimmune conditions including diabetes, juvenile arthritis, and systemic lupus. In the first part of the chapter we discuss the definition and meaning of resilience and key theories in health psychology and psychoneuroimmunology which relate to resilience including that of stress and coping and the concept of allostasis and allostatic load. The second part of the chapter focuses on each of the three types of conditions, drawing from a range of studies, to examine psychosocial and biological characteristics of resilience and psychosocial interventions to develop resilience and facilitate resilient outcomes. Theory into practice is linked throughout the chapter and a summary model of resiliency characteristics and outcomes is presented.

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