title: Parent-Child Communication and Adjustment Among Children With Advanced and Non-Advanced Cancer in the First Year Following Diagnosis or Relapse.
abstract: To examine parent-child communication (i.e., openness, problems) and child adjustment among youth with advanced or non-advanced cancer and comparison children.
  
  
  
  Families (n = 125) were recruited after a child's diagnosis/relapse and stratified by advanced (n = 55) or non-advanced (n = 70) disease. Comparison children (n = 60) were recruited from local schools. Children (ages 10-17) reported on communication (Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale) with both parents, while mothers reported on child adjustment (Child Behavior Checklist) at enrollment (T1) and one year (T2).
  
  
  
  Openness/problems in communication did not differ across groups at T1, but problems with fathers were higher among children with non-advanced cancer versus comparisons at T2. Openness declined for all fathers, while changes in problems varied by group for both parents. T1 communication predicted later adjustment only for children with advanced cancer.
  
  
  
  Communication plays an important role, particularly for children with advanced cancer. Additional research with families affected by life-limiting conditions is needed.
authors.affiliation: The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Center for Biobehavioral Health.|The Ohio State University, Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Madelaine C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Keim
authors.affiliation: The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Center for Biobehavioral Health.|The Ohio State University, Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Vicky
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.affiliation: The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Center for Biobehavioral Health.|The Ohio State University, Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Emily L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Shultz
authors.affiliation: The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Center for Biobehavioral Health.|The Ohio State University, Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Adrien M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Winning
authors.affiliation: The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Center for Biobehavioral Health.|The Ohio State University, Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Joseph R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Rausch
authors.affiliation: Hospital for Sick Children, Child Health Evaluative Sciences.
authors.forename: Maru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barrera
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development.
authors.forename: Mary Jo
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gilmer
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development.
authors.forename: Lexa K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Center for Biobehavioral Health.|The Ohio State University, Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Kathryn A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Vannatta
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development.
authors.forename: Bruce E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Compas
authors.affiliation: The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Center for Biobehavioral Health.|The Ohio State University, Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Cynthia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gerhardt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D000066498:Emotional Adjustment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations
keywords: adjustment; cancer and oncology; parent–adolescent communication