Parental perspective on the psychological adjustment of children in cancer relapse or remission

Abstract

Abstract Objective This article aimed to evaluate the psychological adjustment of Brazilian children experiencing cancer relapse by comparing their adjustment with cancer survivors and “healthy” children, based on the reports of their parents or caregivers. Method Participants were 140 caregivers of children in relapse (n = 24), remission (n = 59), and of children considered “healthy” (control group) (n = 57). The Behavior Assessment System for Children and the Family Environment Scale were applied. Data analyses were performed through Student’s t-test, Chi-square, analysis of variance, and Pearson correlations. Results The results showed that children with cancer did not present more psychopathologies than the control group; however, they had more social and leadership skills. Protective (family cohesion) and risk factors (child´s age, number of relapses, treatment duration, caregiver’s income and education level) were also observed. Conclusion This study proposes the screening of psychological symptoms for risk subgroups and the design of intervention strategies for this population.

Keywords

• Adaptation
• Cancer in children
• Emotional adjustment
• Psycho-Oncology
• Relapse