Evaluation of Emotional and Behavioral Problems in School-Age Children of Patients with Breast Cancer
Evaluation of Emotional and Behavioral Problems in School-Age Children of Patients with Breast Cancer
The aim of the present study was to determine the emotional and behavioral problems among schoolage children of mothers with breast cancer (BC) and the difficulties they experienced during the mothers’ illness.METHODSThe participants included 40 children and adolescents of patients with BC and age- and sex-matched 40healthy controls between the ages of 6 and 17 years. The study group filled out a sociodemographic dataform that was prepared by the researchers and evaluated the demographic data and psychosocial effectsof maternal cancer on children. The parents of all participants filled out the Strengths and DifficultiesQuestionnaire (SDQ), Parent Form to determine the emotional and behavioral problems in children.RESULTSConduct problems, attention deficit and hyperactivity, and total difficulty scores of the SDQ were significantly higher in children of mothers with BC (p
___
- 1. Torre LA, Bray F, Siegel RL, Ferlay J, Lortet-Tieulent
J, Jemal A. Global cancer statistics, 2012. CA Cancer J
Clin 2015;65(2):87–108.
- 2. Siegel RL, Miller KD, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2018.
CA Cancer J Clin 2018;68(1):7–30.
- 3. Anders CK, Johnson R, Litton J, Phillips M, Bleyer
A. Breast cancer before age 40 years. Semin Oncol
2009;36(3):237–49.
- 4. Kitrungroter L, Cohen MZ. Quality of life of family
caregivers of patients with cancer: a literature review.
Oncol Nurs Forum 2006;33(3):625–32.
- 5. Mystakidou K, Tsilika E, Parpa E, Galanos A, Vlahos L. Caregivers of advanced cancer patients: feelings of hopelessness and depression. Cancer Nurs
2007;30(5):412–8.
- 6. Zahlis EH, Shands ME. Breast cancer: Demands of
the illness on the patient’s partner. J Psychosoc Oncol
1991;9(1):75–93.
- 7. Moore CW, Rauch PK, Baer L, Pirl WF, Muriel AC.
Parenting changes in adults with cancer. Cancer
2015;121(19):3551–7.
- 8. Götze H, Friedrich M, Brähler E, Romer G, Mehnert A,
Ernst J. Psychological distress of cancer patients with
children under 18 years and their partners-a longitudinal study of family relationships using dyadic data
analysis. Support Care Cancer 2017;25(1):255–64.
- 9. Krauss O, Ernst J, Kuchenbecker D, Hinz A, Schwarz R.
Predictors of mental disorders in patients with malignant diseases: empirical results. [Article in German].
Psychother Psychosom Med Psychol 2007;57(7):273–
80.
- 10.Helseth S, Ulfsaet N. Parenting experiences during
cancer. J Adv Nurs 2005;52(1):38–46.
- 11.Lewis FM, Hammond MA. The father’s, mother’s, and
adolescent’s functioning with breast cancer. Family
Relations 1996;45(4):456–65.
- 12.Kissane DW, Bloch S, Dowe DL, Snyder RD, Onghena
P, McKenzie DP, et al. The Melbourne Family Grief
Study, I: Perceptions of family functioning in bereavement. Am J Psychiatry 1996;153(5):650–8.
- 13.Watson M, St James-Roberts I, Ashley S, Tilney C,
Brougham B, Edwards L, et al. Factors associated with
emotional and behavioural problems among school
age children of breast cancer patients. Br J Cancer
2006;94(1):43–50.
- 14.Connell S, Patterson C, Newman B. Issues and concerns of young Australian women with breast cancer.
Support Care Cancer 2006;14(5):419–26.
- 15.Northouse LL, Cracchiolo-Caraway A, Appel CP. Psychologic consequences of breast cancer on partner and
family. Semin Oncol Nurs 1991;7(3):216–23.
- 16.Buchbinder M, Longhofer J, McCue K. Family routines and rituals when a parent has cancer. Fam Syst
Health 2009;27(3):213–27.
- 17.Huizinga GA, Visser A, van der Graaf WT, Hoekstra
HJ, Klip EC, Pras E, et al. Stress response symptoms in
adolescent and young adult children of parents diagnosed with cancer. Eur J Cancer 2005;41(2):288–95.
- 18.Thastum M, Watson M, Kienbacher C, Piha J, Steck B,
Zachariae R, et al. Prevalence and predictors of emotional and behavioural functioning of children where
a parent has cancer: a multinational study. Cancer
2009;115(17):4030–9.
- 19.Visser A, Huizinga GA, Hoekstra HJ, van der Graaf
WT, Gazendam-Donofrio SM, Hoekstra-Weebers JE.
Emotional and behavioral problems in children of
parents recently diagnosed with cancer: a longitudinal
study. Acta Oncol 2007;46(1):67–76.
- 20.Visser A, Huizinga GA, van der Graaf WT, Hoekstra
HJ, Hoekstra-Weebers JE. The impact of parental cancer on children and the family: a review of the literature. Cancer Treat Rev 2004;30(8):683–94.
- 21.Compas BE, Worsham NL, Epping-Jordan JE, Grant
KE, Mireault G, Howell DC, et al. When mom or dad
has cancer: markers of psychological distress in cancer patients, spouses, and children. Health Psychol
1994;13(6):507–15.
- 22.Visser A, Huizinga GA, Hoekstra HJ, van der Graaf
WT, Hoekstra-Weebers JE. Parental cancer: characteristics of parents as predictors for child functioning.
Cancer 2006;106(5):1178–87.
- 23.Huizinga GA, Visser A, Zelders-Steyn YE, Teule JA,
Reijneveld SA, Roodbol PF. Psychological impact of
having a parent with cancer. Eur J Cancer 2011;47
Suppl 3:S239–46.
- 24. Gazendam-Donofrio SM, Hoekstra HJ, van der Graaf
WT, Pras E, Visser A, Huizinga GA, et al. Quality of life
of parents with children living at home: when one parent
has cancer. Support Care Cancer 2008;16(2):133–41.
- 25.Howes MJ, Hoke L, Winterbottom M, Delafield D.
Psychoso- cial effects of breast cancer on the patient’s
children. J Psychosoc Oncol 1994;12:1–21.
- 26.Heiney SP, Bryant LH, Walker S, Parrish RS, Provenzano FJ, Kelly KE. Impact of parental anxiety on child
emotional adjustment when a parent has cancer. Oncol Nurs Forum 1997;24(4):655–61.
- 27.Visser A, Huizinga GA, Hoekstra HJ, van der Graaf
WT, Klip EC, Pras E, et al. Emotional and behavioural
functioning of children of a parent diagnosed with
cancer: a cross-informant perspective. Psychooncology 2005;14(9):746–58.
- 28.Huizinga GA, van der Graaf WT, Visser A, Dijkstra JS,
Hoekstra-Weebers JE. Psychosocial consequences for
children of a parent with cancer: a pilot study. Cancer
Nurs 2003;26(3):195–202.
- 29.Hoke LA. Psychosocial adjustment in children
of mothers with breast cancer. Psychooncology
2001;10(5):361–9.
- 30.Grabiak BR, Bender CM, Puskar KR. The impact of
parental cancer on the adolescent: an analysis of the
literature. Psychooncology 2007;16(2):127–37.
- 31. Shah BK, Armaly J, Swieter E. Impact of Parental Cancer
on Children. Anticancer Res 2017;37(8):4025–8.
- 32.Glasdam S, Jensen AB, Madsen EL, Rose C. Anxiety
and depression in cancer patients’ spouses. Psychooncology 1996;5(1):23–9.
- 33.Ollonen P, Lehtonen J, Eskelinen M. Anxiety, depression, and the history of psychiatric symptoms
in patients with breast disease: a prospective casecontrol study in Kuopio, Finland. Anticancer Res
2005;25(3c):2527–33.
- 34.Çivi S, Kutlu R, Çelik HH. Kanserli hasta yakınlarında
depresyon ve yaşam kalitesini etkileyen faktörler. Gulhane Tıp Derg 2011;53(4):248–53.
- 35.Edwards B, Clarke V. The psychological impact
of a cancer diagnosis on families: the influence of
family functioning and patients’ illness characteristics on depression and anxiety. Psychooncology
2004;13(8):562–76.
- 36.Güvenir T, Özbek A, Baykara B, Arkar H, Şentürk
B, İncekaş S. Psychometric properties of the turkish
version of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ). Çocuk ve Gençlik Ruh Sağliği Dergisi
2008;15:65–74.
- 37.Osborn T. The psychosocial impact of parental cancer
on children and adolescents: a systematic review. Psychooncology 2007;16(2):101–26.
- 38.Al-Zaben F, Al-Amoudi SM1, El-deek BS, Koenig HG.
Impact of maternal breast cancer on school-aged children in Saudi Arabia. BMC Res Notes 2014;7:261.
- 39.Birenbaum LK, Yancey DZ, Phillips DS, Chand N,
Huster G. School-age children’s and adolescents’ adjustment when a parent has cancer. Oncol Nurs Forum
1999;26(10):1639–45.
- 40.Morris JN, Martini A, Preen D. The well-being of children impacted by a parent with cancer: an integrative
review. Support Care Cancer 2016;24(7):3235–51.
- 41.Morris J, Turnbull D, Preen D, Zajac I, Martini A. The
psychological, social, and behavioural impact of a parent’s cancer on adolescent and young adult offspring
aged 10-24 at time of diagnosis: A systematic review. J
Adolesc 2018;65:61–71.
- 42.Armsden GC, Lewis FM. Behavioral adjustment and
self-esteem of school-age children of women with
breast cancer. Oncol Nurs Forum 1994;21(1):39–45.
- 43.Nelson E, While D. Children’s adjustment during the
first year of a parent’s cancer diagnosis. J Psychosoc
Oncol 2002;20(1):15–36.
- 44.Mireault GC, Compas BE. A prospective study of
coping and adjustment before and after a parent’s
death from cancer. J Psychosoc Oncol 1997;14(4):1–
18.