title: Understanding parenting concerns in cancer survivors with minor and young-adult children.
abstract: Parents with cancer are concerned about the impact of their disease on their children. However, parenting concerns and associated factors in cancer survivors have not previously been analyzed. The purpose of this study is to examine parenting concerns and to test a path model for understanding parenting concerns in cancer survivors.
  
  
  
  In a cross-sectional study, a total of 1416 parents with cancer (mean age 47.5years, 74% women) having minor or young-adult children were recruited through two cancer registries. Parenting concerns were assessed using the Parenting Concerns Questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the associations between social support, parenting confidence, emotional distress, family functioning and parenting concerns.
  
  
  
  Mothers reported higher total parenting concerns than fathers (p<0.001). We observed strong effects of emotional distress and parenting confidence on parenting concerns. Family dysfunctioning was associated with lower concerns. An indirect association between social support and parenting concerns was identified.
  
  
  
  Parenting concerns in cancer survivors display the need for interventions and after care programs that focus on affected families with minor and young adult children. The results of the structural path model illustrate the associations between psychological and interactional factors. Supporting parents with cancer in their parenting confidence and strengthen social support and family functioning may not only reduce the long-term burden on the parents themselves but also the burden on the entire family.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: inhestern@uke.de.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Inhestern
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Johanna Christine
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Bultmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Beierlein
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Muenster, Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Muenster, Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Romer
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Corinna
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bergelt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D032721:Adult Children / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D032882:Comprehension; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cancer; Children; Emotional distress; Oncology; Parenting concerns