Maternal Cancer and Perception of Child Psychological Adjustment: The Role of Mother’s Anxiety, Depression, and Parenting Stress

Abstract

A mother’s cancer diagnosis may have consequences for all family members, particularly for children, since it makes a parent less physically and emotionally available, with effects on the relationship with the child and his/her development. The main aim of this study was to analyze children’s psychological adjustment in the context of maternal cancer by considering factors related to the child (i.e., age and sex), the mother (psychological adjustment), and cancer (i.e., time elapsed from the diagnosis and current oncological treatment). Self-report questionnaires investigating mothers’ parenting stress, depression, anxiety, and children’s emotional and behavioral problems were administered to 124 mothers (mean age = 44.52 years; SD = 7.22) diagnosed with cancer. A hierarchical regression analysis highlighted that time since diagnosis and mothers’ anxiety and parenting stress accounted for almost 44% of the variance of the children’s difficulties. Maternal depression, current oncological treatment, and the child’s age and sex were not statistically significant. Higher mothers’ parenting stress and anxiety and a longer time elapsed since the first diagnosis predicted higher levels of children’s emotional and behavioral problems. These findings highlight the need to identify precursors of childhood distress in the context of maternal cancer and to develop structured programs to support both mothers and children.

Adolescents Experiencing Parental Cancer: A Qualitative Study

“…Cancer incidence is increasing worldwide, with a greater number of new cases in people aged 30 to 50 1 , an age at which many have dependent children 2 . The experience of cancer in people with dependent children, known as parental cancer (PC), is a growing phenomenon 2 .…”

“…Cancer incidence is increasing worldwide, with a greater number of new cases in people aged 30 to 50 1 , an age at which many have dependent children 2 . The experience of cancer in people with dependent children, known as parental cancer (PC), is a growing phenomenon 2 . PC is a stressful life event for patients with cancer and their children, influencing the entire family nucleus, causing changes in routines and relationships, role reversal and socioeconomic difficulties 3 , which can affect the development of children and adolescents.…”

“…In adolescence, having a parent with cancer can negatively affect psychosocial adjustment, causing lower quality and satisfaction with life as well as changes in school performance and post-traumatic stress 2,4 . Adolescents are considered more susceptible to experiencing PC 5 , as they have a greater perception of the parental disease.…”

“…Adolescents are considered more susceptible to experiencing PC 5 , as they have a greater perception of the parental disease. However, their needs are not always met by the sick parent 2 . Parents, due to the burden of the disease, have more difficulty supporting and identifying atypical behaviors in adolescents, and expect health professionals to support their children in dealing with PC.…”

“…Despite the relevance of this phenomenon and the impact on the dyad, there are no guidelines for nurses regarding the dyad that experiences PC. However, some authors point out the need to implement interventions in these families [2][3]6 .…”