Psychological and Social Concomitants of Sickle Cell Anemia in Adolescents

Abstract

Based on the hypothesis that adolescents with sickle cell anemia experience difficulty in mastering the normal developmental tasks of adolescence because of the characteristics of their disease, this study examined body satisfaction, depression, and social withdrawal in 24 adolescents with sickle cell anemia. They were compared to 24 healthy adolescents matched on sex, race, age, and socioeconomic status. As predicted, the sickle cell anemic adolescents reported less satisfaction with their bodies and more symptoms of depression than their healthy peers. In addition, they were found to spend less time in social and nonsocial activities. These results support the hypothesis that adolescents with sickle cell anemia are at risk for psychosocial adjustment problems and suggest at least three areas of adjustment that may be affected.