Impact of pediatric cancer on family relationships. Cancer Med 2018 May;7(5):1680-1688
Date
03/27/2018Pubmed ID
29577633Pubmed Central ID
PMC5943435DOI
10.1002/cam4.1393Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85044444071 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 35 CitationsAbstract
Little is known about the impact of cancer on family relationships from the perspective of the pediatric cancer patient and their sibling(s). This study assessed and compared children's experiences of family relationships in patients receiving active cancer therapy, those who have completed therapy, and siblings. A cross-sectional study of children with cancer and their siblings aged 8-17 years old was conducted. Children completed the PROMIS Pediatric Family Relationships short form and the Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety, and Peer Relationships short forms. The Mann-Whitney test assessed differences in Family Relationships scores between therapy groups, while the Wilcoxon signed-rank test assessed differences between patients and siblings. An actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) was used to assess how patient and sibling variables were associated with their own and each others' family relationships. Two hundred and sixty-five children completed the assessments. Siblings of patients on-therapy had worse family relationships than patients on-therapy (P = 0.015). Family relationships of patients off-therapy did not differ from their siblings or the patients on-therapy. Family relationships scores did not differ between the sibling cohorts. The APIM found patient family relationships were impaired when their own peer relationships decreased and when either their own or their siblings had increased depressive symptoms. Sibling family relationships were impaired when their own depression increased, and when the patient counterpart was female, younger age, had less depressive symptoms, more anxiety or a diagnosis of leukemia/lymphoma (compared to solid tumor). Based on these findings, increased psychosocial resources for patients and siblings of children undergoing cancer therapy may be warranted.
Author List
Erker C, Yan K, Zhang L, Bingen K, Flynn KE, Panepinto JAuthors
Kristin M. Bingen PhD Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of WisconsinKathryn Eve Flynn PhD Vice Chair, Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Ke Yan PhD Associate Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Adaptation, PsychologicalAdolescent
Child
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depression
Family Relations
Female
Humans
Male
Neoplasms
Patient Reported Outcome Measures
Sibling Relations
Siblings
