Temperament, personality, and quality of life in pediatric cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
The developmental psychology literature shows that children with higher levels of effortful control (EC) and ego-resilience (ER) display greater social competence and better emotional adjustment. This study examined whether these dispositional attributes contribute to positive quality of life (QOL) in pediatric cancer patients.


METHODS
Participants were 103 pediatric cancer patients (and their parents) who were part of a larger parent study. At study entry, parents reported their own anxiety and depression and their children's EC and ER. At 3-month follow-up, parents reported children's QOL.


RESULTS
ER was positively correlated with children's QOL. EC showed a positive indirect effect on QOL through ER. Inclusion of potential correlates of pediatric QOL (e.g., parent neuroticism) did not change these relationships.


CONCLUSIONS
Temperament and personality play significant roles in pediatric cancer patients' QOL. Assessing dispositional attributes early in treatment may help identify children at risk for poor QOL during and after treatment.
PhD, Population Studies and Disparities Research Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute, 4100 John R Street - MM03CB, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. harperf@karmanos.org.
Felicity W K
FW
Harper
Benjamin D
BD
Goodlett
Christopher J
CJ
Trentacosta
Terrance L
TL
Albrecht
Jeffrey W
JW
Taub
Sean
S
Phipps
Louis A
LA
Penner
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010551:Personality; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013694:Temperament
dispositional attributes; effortful control; ego-resilience; pediatric cancer; quality of life