title: Healthcare Professionals' Knowledge of Family Psychosocial Problems in Pediatric Cancer: A Pilot Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Best practice guidelines for the treatment of cancer now advocate for a child- and family-centered model of care and a psychosocial model of risk prevention. However, healthcare professionals (HCPs) report a number of barriers preventing the implementation of psychosocial care, including an absence of tools to help identify psychosocial problems within the family.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study are to (1) explore the psychometric properties of the Psychosocial Care Checklist (PCCL) and (2) test if the PCCL can differentiate the degree to which HCPs are aware of psychosocial problems within the family (patient, siblings, parents) of a child with cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven HCPs caring for a child with cancer completed the PCCL at time 1 (2-4 weeks after diagnosis) and 29 HCPs completed the PCCL at time 2 (2-3 weeks after).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PCCL had strong test-retest reliability for all domains (α > .60) and strong internal consistency for the total PCCL (α = .91). Interrater reliability was moderate for the oncologist-nurse dyad with regard to sibling knowledge (r = 0.56) and total psychosocial knowledge (r = 0.65). Social workers were significantly more knowledgeable than both nurses and oncologists about total family problems (P = .01) and sibling problems (P = .03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preliminary findings suggest that the PCCL has adequate test-retest reliability and validity and is useful in differentiating the degree to which HCPs are aware of psychosocial problems within the family, with social workers being the most knowledgeable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using the PCCL may help HCPs to identify psychosocial problems within the family and appropriately allocate psychosocial resources.
authors.affiliation: Author Affiliations: Department of Psychology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto (Drs Barrera and Punnett, Mss Yogalingam and Hancock, and Mr Rokeach); Division of Haematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa (Dr Johnston and Ms Cassidy); Department of Psychology, Children's Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre, London (Dr Cataudella); and Department of Social Work, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada (Ms Shama).
authors.forename: Maru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barrera
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rokeach
authors.forename: Priyanga
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yogalingam
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hancock
authors.forename: Donna L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cataudella
authors.forename: Marilyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cassidy
authors.forename: Angela S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Punnett
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shama
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results