title: What effect does a cancer diagnosis have on the educational engagement and school life of teenagers? A systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A diagnosis of cancer during the teenage years arrives at an important stage of development, where issues of normality, identity and independence are crucial. Education provides opportunity for peer contact, achievement and development for teenagers. This systematic review examined the impact of a diagnosis of cancer on the educational engagement and school life of teenagers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five electronic databases were searched, returning a total of 3209 articles. Inclusion criteria were broad to allow for the range of literature within this area. Following screening, 22 articles (inclusive of both quantitative and qualitative methodologies) were retained and subjected to independent review and quality assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Key areas involved in the impact of a cancer diagnosis on teenagers' educational engagement include school attendance, reintegration, peer relationships and long-term effects on education and employment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  School absences are a concern for teenagers, but do not necessarily lead to a reduction in educational and vocational attainment. It is important to involve health care and education professionals, as well as parents and teenagers themselves, in school reintegration if it is to be successful. Peer groups and body image are two areas that could mediate education engagement for teenagers. Further research needs to be undertaken to determine the overall impact of successfully maintaining education engagement specifically for teenagers, the role that peer groups play in this process and how education engagement contributes to the overall coping and well-being of teenage cancer patients.
authors: Institute of Psychological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK. s.pini@leeds.ac.uk
authors: Simon
authors: S
authors: Pini
authors: Siobhan
authors: S
authors: Hugh-Jones
authors: Peter H
authors: PH
authors: Gardner
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D010379:Peer Group; D011788:Quality of Life; D012574:Schools; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires