Mothers illness-related functioning predicts posttraumatic stress symptoms in survivors of childhood cancer

Abstract

Este estudió analizo las relaciones entre las respuestas (emocionales, cognitivas y conductibles) de madres de niños diagnosticados de cáncer y la sintomatología postraumática de estos durante la supervivencia.

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether parental illness-related functioning is linked to Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS), and how strongly it predicts the emergence of such symptoms among survivors of pediatric cancer. 90 mothers of pediatric cancer survivors reported on their children s oncological treatment, their children s PTSS and their own illness-related functioning, which was studied along three different dimensions: illness-related emotions and cognitions; responses towards the sick child; and PTSS in mothers. All dimensions of mothers illness-related functioning showed strong correlations with survivors PTSS. Moreover, mothers illness-related functioning was more predictive of PTSS in survivors than objective aspects of treatment (i.e. duration or intensity). Mother s unregulated responses towards the sick child showed the strongest predictive value on survivors PTSS. These findings shed light on specific parental emotions, cognitions and behaviors that may influence the patients long-term psychological responses. A family-centered model of pediatric oncology nursing may be enriched by the consideration of these processes.