Acute stress in parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) and subclinical symptoms of acute stress (SAS) may be a useful framework for understanding the psychological reactions of mothers and fathers of children newly diagnosed with a pediatric malignancy.


METHODS
Mothers (N = 129) and fathers (N = 72) of 138 children newly diagnosed with cancer completed questionnaires assessing acute distress, anxiety, and family functioning. Demographic data were also gathered. Inclusion criteria were: a confirmed diagnosis of a pediatric malignancy in a child under the age of 18 years without prior chronic or life threatening illness and fluency in English or Spanish.


RESULTS
Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regressions were used to examine predictors of SAS. Fifty-one percent (N = 66) of mothers and 40% (N = 29) of fathers met DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for ASD. The majority of the sample reported experiencing at least one SAS. General anxiety, but not family functioning, was a strong predictor of SAS in both mothers and fathers even after controlling for demographic characteristics.


CONCLUSIONS
Immediately following their child's diagnosis of cancer, most mothers and fathers experience SAS, with a subsample meeting criteria for ASD. More anxious parents are at heightened risk of more intense reactions. The findings support the need for evidence-based psychosocial support at diagnosis and throughout treatment for families who are at risk for acute distress reactions.
Patiño-Fernández
Anna Maria
AM
Division of Oncology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Pai
Ahna L H
AL
Alderfer
Melissa
M
Hwang
Wei-Ting
WT
Reilly
Anne
A
Kazak
Anne E
AE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D040701:Stress Disorders, Traumatic, Acute / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology