title: Emotional distress and burden among caregivers of children with oncological/hematological disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Caring for children with oncological and hematological disorders may lead to caregiver emotional distress and caregiver burden; however, little work has examined the relationship between children's symptoms and caregiver's distress and burden.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used self-report survey data from caregivers (N = 96) and a cross-sectional design to examine correlates of caregiver emotional distress and burden. Data collected included caregiver and child demographic data, child symptoms (i.e., sleep problems, pain, and emotional/behavioral problems), caregiver emotional distress, and caregiver burden.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multiple linear regression found that parent reported financial difficulty (β = 0.29, t = 3.13, p = .003), greater child sleep problems (β = 0.29 t = 2.81, p = .007), greater child pain (β = 0.33 t = 3.48, p = .001), and greater child emotional/behavioral problems (β = 0.27, t = 2.71, p = .009) were all related to higher levels of caregiver emotional distress. Only financial difficulties (β = -0.35, t = -2.03, p = .04) and child pain (β = -0.30, t = -2.33, p = .02) were related to caregiver burden.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Child symptoms may play an important role in the development of caregiver distress and caregiver burden; future research should utilize longitudinal designs to examine temporal and casual relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center.
authors.forename: Sara N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Edmond
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Mississippi Medical Center.
authors.forename: Patricia E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Graves
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center.
authors.forename: Sara E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Whiting
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Mississippi Medical Center.
authors.forename: Cynthia W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Karlson
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D000067576:Child Health; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires