Social competence of school-aged children with chronic illnesses.

This study examines social competence among 67 chronically ill children, aged 7 to 14 years, whose families participated in a grounded theory study of how families define and manage a child's chronic illness. Child Behavior Check List ratings (Achenbach & Edelbrock, 1983) by both fathers and mothers indicated a significantly greater risk for social competence difficulties among the chronically ill children as compared with the normative sample. Case vignettes, drawn from extensive interviews with family members, are used to show contrasting styles of family management and child coping and to suggest nursing interventions aimed at fostering social competence.