title: Predictors of benefit finding in the adult children of patients with cancer.
abstract: This study aimed to investigate the predictors of benefit finding in 311 adult children of patients with cancer. Participants completed a comprehensive online/pen-and-paper survey measuring benefit finding, gender of parent, outcome and duration of illness, caregiving experience, and emotional experiences including reaction to diagnosis and grief and loss. Greater benefit finding was positively associated with stronger emotional experiences, satisfaction with the caregiving role, and outcome of parental cancer, explaining 15.3% of the variance in benefit finding. Higher emotional reactions and outcome of parental cancer as significant predictors of parental cancer provide some support for the applicability of theories of post-traumatic growth to this cohort.
authors.affiliation: a Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, University of New South Wales , South Western Sydney Clinical School , Liverpool , NSW , Australia.
authors.forename: Janelle V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Levesque
authors.forename: Darryl J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Maybery
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D032721:Adult Children / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011582:Psychological Theory; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: adult children; benefit finding; caregiving; emotional experiences; parental cancer; post-traumatic growth