Posttraumatic stress disorder among parents of children on cancer treatment: a longitudinal study

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of cancer-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among parents of children on cancer treatment. A longitudinal design with assessments at one week (T1), two (T2), and four (T3) months after the child's diagnosis was used. Two hundred and fourteen parents (107 mothers, 107 fathers) participated at T1-T3. The PTSD Checklist Civilian (PCL-C), a self-report screening instrument for PTSD, was answered by parents over the telephone. According to the PCL-C symptom criteria method 33%, more mothers than fathers, score as potential cases of acute stress disorder (ASD) at T1, whereas 28% as potential cases of PTSD at T2 and 22% at T3. The levels of acute- and posttraumatic stress symptoms show a linear, descending pattern, and mothers report higher levels than fathers. Half of the parents who score as potential cases of ASD a week after the child's diagnosis score as potential cases of PTSD four months later. The findings illustrate that a group of parents of children with cancer experience serious psychological distress related to their child's disease. A traumatic stress perspective on childhood cancer should be applied to paediatric oncology care and appropriate psychosocial interventions should be offered to parents when needed.

Experiential Avoidance and Rumination in Parents of Children on Cancer Treatment: Relationships with Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Symptoms of Depression

“…Participants were invited to take part in a RCT investigating the efficacy of an Internetbased guided self-help intervention. In the current sample, the mean level of PTSS was 43.5 (SD = 13.6), which is higher than was found in a previous Swedish cohort study of parents of children diagnosed with cancer, which also used the PCL-C, and for which the mean level of PTSS was 36.5 (SD = 12.1) 2 months after diagnosis (Pöder et al, 2008). Furthermore, one could argue that the enrollment rate was poor, but it might also be that the enrollment rate adequately reflected the proportion of parents of children of children on cancer treatment who experience a need for psychological support.…”

“…Furthermore, one could argue that the enrollment rate was poor, but it might also be that the enrollment rate adequately reflected the proportion of parents of children of children on cancer treatment who experience a need for psychological support. It has been shown that 28 % of parents of children diagnosed with cancer report symptoms indicating potential PTSD 2 months after their child's diagnosis (Pöder et al, 2008) and that 46 % report a need to meet with a psychologist at the same assessment (Pöder & von Essen, 2009). In the current study, 26 % of the approached parents expressed an interest in participating in the RCT and consented to be contacted.…”

“…Symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTSS) and depression are common among parents of children on cancer treatment (Boman, Viksten, Kogner, & Samuelsson, 2004;Kazak, Boeving, Alderfer, Hwang, & Reilly, 2005;Pöder, Ljungman, & von Essen, 2008). Typically the level of such symptoms is higher shortly after diagnosis and decline with time after diagnosis (Ljungman, Hovén, Ljungman, Cernvall, & von Essen, 2015).…”

Detached, distraught or discerning? Fathers of adolescents with chronic illness: a review of the literature

“…For others, diagnosis can be an unexpected devastation, a theme repeatedly mentioned by Nicholas et al (3) . Several authors have investigated the post-traumatic stress in parents of children with chronic disease (28,30,34,36,37). Manifestations of stress, such as dissociation, re-experience, hyper-arousal and avoidance, have been identified as most prevalent closer to diagnosis (37) .…”

“…Several authors have investigated the post-traumatic stress in parents of children with chronic disease (28,30,34,36,37). Manifestations of stress, such as dissociation, re-experience, hyper-arousal and avoidance, have been identified as most prevalent closer to diagnosis (37) . Indeed, one-half of that study ' s parents exhibiting acute stress disorder at 1 week had post-traumatic stress disorder diagnoses made at 4 months.…”