Chronically ill children. A psychologically and emotionally deviant population?.

The study evaluated the psychosocial functioning levels of a group of chronically 
ill (diabetic, asthmatic, cystic fibrotic, and hearing- impaired) children across a 
battery of standardized personality instruments. The assessments were performed to provide 
a rigorous test of the popular hypothesis that chronically ill children 
are especially vulnerable to psychopatholgy. In contrast to this sterotype, results 
across measures demonstrated the normalcy rather than the deviance of these 
children. Although exceptions were noted, the children's functional strengths and coping 
abilities noticeably outweighed their weaknesses. 