Parents of children surviving a brain tumor: burnout and the perceived disease-related influence on everyday life.
Parents of children diagnosed with a brain tumor often report distress, even after successfully completed cancer treatment. The aim of this study was to examine predictors of burnout (ie stress-induced exhaustion) in parents of children who have had a brain tumor. Twenty-four mothers and 20 fathers completed self-report questionnaires on 2 occasions at an interval of 7 months. Controlling for generic stress, parents' perception of the influence of the disease on everyday life-predicted burnout symptoms. Moreover, parents' appraisal of a disease-related influence on everyday life showed stability, implying that parental stress may be chronic. The findings encourage furthermore investigation of chronic stress among parents of children diagnosed with cancer.
Norberg
Annika Lindahl
AL
Department of Woman and Child Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. annika.lindahl.norberg@ki.se
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*