Childhood cancer: a 4-year prospective study of the psychological adjustment of children and parents.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this 4-year prospective study was to assess the psychological adjustment of children treated for cancer and their parents.


METHODS
Children aged 2 to 12 years with cancer diagnosed and their parents and families (n = 39) were assessed immediately after their diagnosis and then annually for the next 4 years. At each assessment, the psychological adjustment of the children and their families was compared with the adjustment of a cohort of children and families in the general community (n = 49).


RESULTS
Immediately after the diagnosis of cancer in the children, the children and their parents had significantly more psychological problems than children and parents in the community. However, at subsequent assessments, there was no difference in the number of psychological problems experienced by children and parents in the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
In the longer term, the prevalence of psychological problems experienced by children treated for cancer and their parents does not differ from that found in children and parents in the general community. Future research should give greater attention to other aspects of the lives of children treated for cancer and their parents, including their broader health-related quality of life.
Sawyer
M
M
Department of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide, Australia.
Antoniou
G
G
Toogood
I
I
Rice
M
M
Baghurst
P
P
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D000367:Age Factors; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D013021:South Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*