Stress, Social Support, and Depressive Symptomatology in Children With Congenital/Acquired Limb Deficiencies

Ongoing chronic strain of living with limb deficiencies and normal daily hassles may interact to produce a negative impact on adjustment. Degree of limb loss, daily hassles/microstressors, and classmate, parent, teacher, and friend social support were investigated as predictors of depressive symptomatology in 27 children with congenital/acquired limb deficiencies. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were utilized to test the main effects and buffering interactions effects models of the stress-social support-depressive symptomatology relationship. Degree of limb loss was not a significant predictor. Microstressors and classmate, parent, and teacher social support were all significant predictors of depressive symptomatology. None of the Stress X Social Support interaction terms were statistically significant. The overall model of stress and social support predicted 73% of the variance in depressive symptomatology.