A nurse is assessing an adolescent who has beta thalassemia. The parents ask the nurse about other manifestations to watch for in their child. The nurse recognizes that children who have beta thalassemia have the potential for which of the following psychosocial diagnoses?

A. Conduct disorder: Conduct disorder involves persistent behavioral problems and aggression, which are not directly associated with chronic illnesses like beta thalassemia. B. Depression: Children with beta thalassemia often experience chronic illness-related stress, frequent medical interventions, physical changes from anemia or transfusions, and social limitations, which can contribute to depressive symptoms. Monitoring for mood changes and providing psychosocial support is important. C. Anxiety: While anxiety may occur in some children with chronic illness, depression is more commonly reported as a psychosocial complication in beta thalassemia due to ongoing treatment demands and chronic health challenges. D. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): PTSD is generally linked to exposure to traumatic events rather than chronic illness management, making it less likely to be a primary psychosocial diagnosis in children with beta thalassemia.