Child Health Nurs Res.  2023 Jul;29(3):195-206. 10.4094/chnr.2023.29.3.195.

Perception of precocious puberty among school-aged children in South Korea with the experience of treatment for precocious puberty: a Q methodological approach

• Park SJ
• Nam HR
• Choi EJ

• KMID: 2544696
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4094/chnr.2023.29.3.195

Abstract

Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of precocious puberty and elucidate the distinct characteristics of each type of perception related to precocious puberty among school-aged children who had undergone treatment for the condition.
Methods
This study applied the Q methodology to identify and classify the perceptions of precocious puberty among school-aged children who had undergone treatment for the condition. The analysis involved 34 questions from the Q sample and data from 35 individuals in the P sample, using the PC-QUANL Program for analysis.
Results
The perceptions of precocious puberty among school-aged children who had undergone precocious puberty treatment were classified into the following four types: "shyness - passive self-management," "resentment - suppression," "anxiety - fear," and "adaptation - acceptance."
Conclusion
This study investigated the experiences and perceptions of children who have undergone treatment for precocious puberty. Through the identification of four types of perceptions, we can see that there is a need to develop an intervention program for nursing that is tailored to the specific type of precocious puberty.

Keyword

Puberty; precocious; Child; Schools; Perception