Quality of Life in Pediatric Cancer Patients: The Relationships Among Parents' Characteristics, Children's Characteristics, and Informant Concordance

    Authors

    A. Roddenberry;K. Renk

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    J. Child Fam. Stud.

    Keywords

    Cancer; Quality of Life; Psychological Symptoms; Parents; Children; BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS; DEPRESSION; RATINGS; CHILDHOOD; LEUKEMIA; MOTHERS; Family Studies; Psychology, Developmental; Psychiatry

    Abstract

    As advancements in the treatment of childhood cancer have resulted in increasing survival rates, the psychosocial functioning of child patients has become an increasingly important issue. In this pilot study, we investigate the relationships among parents' characteristics, children's characteristics, and the quality of life experienced by children who are diagnosed with cancer. Forty-seven mothers, sixteen fathers, and nineteen children completed measures about their own psychological functioning as well as measures about the children's quality of life. Mothers' ratings of their children's quality of life were correlated positively with the ratings provided by both fathers and the children themselves. In addition, significant relationships were found between mothers' depression and parenting stress and children's quality of life as well as between mothers' and fathers' anxiety and children's quality of life. Finally, using regression analyses, mothers', fathers', and children's ratings of their own characteristics predicted significantly their ratings of the children's quality of life. The importance of examining the psychological characteristics of family members when assessing the quality of life of children who are diagnosed with cancer is discussed.

    Journal Title

    Journal of Child and Family Studies

    Volume

    17

    Issue/Number

    3

    Publication Date

    1-1-2008

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    402

    Last Page

    426

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000270839400008

    ISSN

    1062-1024

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