87

Objective: To evaluate depressive episodes, anxiety, and self-esteem in an adolescent hemodialysis population in the region of Sfax (Tunisia). Methods: Our study included 50 teenagers (10 hemodialysis patients and 40 control patients), and used the child depression inventory (CDI), the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), and the Cooper Smith self-esteem inventory in its school form. Results: Episodes of depression and anxiety were significantly more frequent in patients undergoing hemodialysis (a mean score of 25.1 as opposed to 11.6 in the CDI, 52.4 as opposed to 39.2 in the STAI test, and 52.8 as opposed to 30 in the STAI-trait test), and general and academic self-esteem was more affected. Conclusion: Given the frequency of psychological disturbances in teenagers undergoing hemodialysis, counseling should be provided on a routine basis in order to relieve the suffering of these young adolescents and to prevent the development of any long-term psychiatric disorders.