CHILDBEARING DECISIONS AND PARENTING AMONG PERSONS WITH RHEUMATIOD ARTHRITIS

University Of California San Francisco, San Francisco CA

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Abstract

Parenting is one of the major adult roles. Individuals with RA may be reluctant to have children because of treatments or demands of the disease. Parents may find that parenting behaviors change or do not confirm to their expectations because of mobility or energy limitations. Thus, effects of RA on parenting on parenting through decisions not to pursue pregnancy or effects on parenting behaviors may have a tremendous effect on individuals with RA and their children. This study will examine the impact of RA on childbearing decision, parenting behavior, and outcomes. Members of the UCSF RA Panel will be questioned about childbearing decisions; those who have had children will be asked bout parenting behaviors and parenting role disruption. Childbearing decisions will be examined in an additional data set, the UCSF Asthma Panel, for comparison to data from the UCSF RA Panel. Data will be collected from RA Panel members via annual telephone interviews. Items to assess the impact of RAS on childbearing decisions, parenting behavior, coping behaviors, parental role adjustment, and parents' psychological adjustment will be added. Information on children's psychosocial adjustment will be collected from parents and teachers, Analyses will address thre major areas: 1) the impact of RA on childbearing decisions, factors associated with those decisions, and the psychological effects of those decisions; 2) the effects of RA on parenting behavior and factors associated with those effects; and 3) the impact of limitations on parenting behavior due to RA and parental role distress on parents' and children's psychosocial adjustment. The findings from this study will help to define the impact of RA on childbearing decisions, the impact of RA on parenting behaviors, effective and ineffective ways of coping with parenting behavior limitations due to RA, and the effect of childbearing decisions and limitations in parenting behavior on the psychological adjustment of parents with RA and their children. These data will provide valuable information for clinicians, counselors, and educators to enhance their contacts with individuals with RA, provide pre-conception counseling, and assist with adaptation to parenthood and the challenges of childbearing. The data from this project will greatly enhance the quality of life of individuals with RA and their families.