Summary
In the families of 40 children with surgically corrected tetralogy of Fallot there were 6 instances of marriage dissolution since the birth of the affected child. Couples remaining together had high indexes of family stability. In control families of 40 children with appendectomy, matched for age, sex, and time since surgery, the findings were similar. No differences were observed in marriage breakup or family stability between families of children with moderate disability who had a shunt operation prior to total correction and families of children with presumably milder disability who had not had a shunt operation prior to total correction. Thus, stress due to reparable tetralogy of Fallot appears to be well tolerated in the family and is associated with no more family instability or marriage dissolution than a childhood appendectomy.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Apley J, Barbour RF, Westmacott I: Impact of congenital heart disease on the family: preliminary report.Br Med J 1:103–105, 1967
Begleiter ML, Burry WF, Harris DJ: Prevalence of divorce among parents of children with cystic fibrosis and other chronic diseases.Soc Biol 23:260–264, 1976
Blishen BR: A socio-economic index for occupations in Canada.Can Rev Sociol Anthropol 4:41–53, 1967
Boon AR: Tetralogy of Fallot—effect on the family.Br J Prev Soc Med 26:263–268, 1972
Bruins C, Camphuis, R, Teuns T: Cardiac neurosis in childhood. III. The effect of heart disease on the child and family.Proc Ass Europ Pediatr Cardiol 3:17–18, 1967
Dorner S: The relationship of physical handicap to stress in families with an adolescent with spina bifida.Dev Med Child Neurol 17:765–776, 1975
Garson A, Williams RB, Reckless J: Long-term follow-up of patients with tetralogy of Fallot: physical health and psychopathology.J Pediatr 85:429–433, 1974
Gayton WF, Friedman SB, Tavormina JF, Tucker F: Children with cystic fibrosis: I. Psychological test findings of patients, siblings and parents.Pediatrics 59:888–894, 1977
Glaser HH, Harrison GS, Lynn DR: Emotional implications of congenital heart disease in children.Pediatrics 38:376–379, 1964
Kolin I, Scherzer A, New B, Garfield M: Studies of the school-age child with meningomyelocele: Social and emotional adaptation.J Pediatr 78:1013–1019, 1971
Landtman B, Valanne EH, Aukee M: Emotional implications of heart disease. A study of 256 children with real and with “imaginary” heart disease.Ann Pediatr Fenn 14:1–92, 1968
Linde LM: Developmental factors in congenital heart disease.Pediatrician 4:313–319, 1975
Linde LM, Rasof B, Dunn OJ: Longitudinal studies of intellectual and behavioural development in children with congenital heart disease.Acta Pediatr Scand 59:169–176, 1970
Martin P: Marital breakdown in families of patients with spina bifida cystica.Dev Med Child Neurol 17:757–764, 1975
Maxwell GM, Gane S: The impact of congenital heart disease on the family.Am Heart J 64:449–454, 1962
Novak AL, Van der Veen F: Family concepts and emotional disturbance in the families of disturbed siblings.Fam Proc 9:157–171, 1970
Offord DR, Cross LA, Andrews BJ, Apointe JF: Perceived and actual severity of congenital heart disease and effect on family life.Psychosomatics 13:390–396, 1972
Siegel S:Nonparametric Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences. New York, McGraw-Hill, 1956
Statistics Canada: 1971 Census: Ever-married women age 15 and over showing single years of age (68) by number of live-born children (12) by present marital status (4) for the province of Ontario, 1971. (1971 Census special tabulation 16688)
Tew BJ, Payne H, Laurence KM: Must a family with a handicapped child be a handicapped family?Dev Med Child Neurol [Suppl 32]16:95–97, 1974
Van der Veen F, Huebner B, Jorgens B, Neja P: Relationships between the parents' concept of the family and family adjustment.Am J Orthopsychiatry 34:45–55, 1964
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported in part by the Ontario Heart Foundation
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Finley, J.P., Putherbough, C., Cook, D. et al. Effect of congenital heart disease on the family: Divorce, separation, and stability in families of children with tetralogy of fallot. Pediatr Cardiol 1, 9–13 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02307336
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02307336