Family attributions and adjustment to dialysis in adolescent end-stage renal failure

Abstract

This study employed the Leeds Attributional Coding System to investigate causal attributions in the families of two groups of adolescent patients with End-Stage Renal Failure—one well adjusted (n=11) and one poorly adjusted group (n=11). Previous research with the chronically ill suggested that better adjustment would be associated with more external and universal attributions, and that poorer adjustment would be associated with larger numbers of attributions. These predictions received general support. An unexpected tendency for patients in the poorly adjusted group to be blamed by their parents for negative attributional outcomes was observed, as revealed in group differences in percentage internal, controllable and personal target attributions, and this was associated with greater actor-observer discrepancies in the families of the poorly adjusted group. The findings were discussed in terms of the distinction between primary and secondary control, possible underlying processes and implications for further research and clinical practice.

Key Words:

• Attributions
• adjustment
• adolescence
• ESRF