Psychiatry Research EG

Objective Psychiatric symptoms are a significant part of chronic illnesses and they can affect the prognosis and outcome. The aim of this study was to examine the presence of depressive and anxiety symptoms and neurocognitive deficits among children with congenital heart disease. Participants and methods Thirty children with operated congenital heart disease and 30 control healthy children were subjected to a psychiatric semistructured interview and diagnosis was made according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed. criteria, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for children, the Anxiety Scale for Children, Children’s Depression Inventory, and the child behavior checklist. Results There were significant differences in depression and anxiety scales, internalizing behavior in the child behavior checklist, and some performance subscales in the Wechsler Intelligence Scale. Conclusion There is a high prevalence of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive problems in children with congenital heart disease.