ИСТИНА

Abstract Introduction Psychological ill-being can be manifested in children’s personal characteristics, formed under the influence of a large number of factors, including the incidence of respiratory diseases. It is associated with firsthand illness experience and differ at frequently and rarely ill groups. Children’s peculiar properties diagnostic is necessary for working with the subject pattern of health deformations and prevent possible future mental problems and risks of substance use. Objectives To define the influence of illness experience on children’s personal characteristics. Methods The study has involved 33 children: 15 frequently ill children (mean age – 9±1.8), 18 rarely ill children (mean age – 9±1.4). We used: “Unfinished sentences about health” (Yakovleva, 2014), “Multi-factor personality questionnaire” (Children CPQ). Results Frequently ill children significantly differ from rarely ill children by the following characteristics: "self-confidence" (1.277, p=0.036), excitability (4.222, p=0.019), risk tendency (2.546, p=0,03), responsibility (5.323, p=0.008), self control (5.323, p=0.048), nervous tension (3.429,, p=0.037). Frequently ill children are more excitable, reckless, nervous. They are less confident, less responsible and less in control of their behavior than their rarely ill coevals are. Frequently and rarely ill children give positive self-assessment of their health (73.3% and 55.5%), however, in the group of frequently ill children this assessment is significantly more frequent (p≤0.01), despite their illness experience. Conclusions The obtained results prove the need to take into account the personal characteristics of children when working with the formation and correction of the subject pattern of health in order to prevent maladaptive health behavior and possible mental disorders in adolescents.