Factors influencing depressive symptoms of children treated for a brain tumor.
OBJECTIVE
To examine depressive symptoms in children treated for a brain tumor and related clinical, demographic and personal factors.


METHODS
Fifty-four children with brain tumors (32 males) aged 8.2-18.3 years participated. Standardized measures assessed depressive symptoms, social skills, self-worth and IQ. Clinical (treatment) and demographic variables (gender) were also examined.


RESULTS
Depression scores were subjected to a 2 (gender), X 2 (social skills: low, high), X 3 (self-worth: low, average, high) ANCOVA with IQ as the covariate. Significant main effects of gender and of self-worth and an interaction between gender, social skills, and self-worth were observed. Gender was identified as a moderator of the effect of social skills and self-worth on depressive symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Gender, social skills, and self-worth play important roles in the depressive symptoms of pediatric brain tumor patients.
Barrera
M
M
Department of Psychology, Hematology/Oncology Program, Population Health Sciences, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada. maru.barrera@sickkids.ca
Schulte
F
F
Spiegler
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment