Psychological Aspects of Childhood Cancer

Varni, James W.; Katz, Ernest R.

doi:10.1300/j077v05n03_05

Cited by 19 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 73 publications

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“…1,3 The multimodal therapy, however, can be quite intense; children may experience both short-and long-term illness and treatment symptoms. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] Recent work by Collins and colleagues has shown that both young and older children with cancer still report a high prevalence of physical and psychological symptoms, thereby reinforcing that children's cancer symptoms are still undermanaged. 12,13 Increased symptom distress in turn, can have an adverse effect on the children's and families' quality of life.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…12,13 Increased symptom distress in turn, can have an adverse effect on the children's and families' quality of life. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] Containing symptoms in children with cancer is critical to relieving children's suffering and improving the quality of life for children and their families. 10 An essential part of physicians' and other health professionals' care of children with cancer is the management of symptoms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[19][20][21] Studies that focus on strategies to reduce the degree of distress in children or increase their ability to cope with the procedural-related pain [22][23][24][25][26] and chemotherapyrelated nausea and vomiting [27][28][29] have also been undertaken. However, although the literature acknowledges that children with cancer will experience an array of symptoms, [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] symptoms other than procedural pain or nausea and vomiting have received minimal attention. Only recently have researchers recognized the importance of studying other symptoms that can impact greatly on the quality of life in children with cancer and their families.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

A different perspective to approaching cancer symptoms in children

Woodgate

Degner

Yanofsky

2003

Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

130

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A sound and comprehensive knowledge base about symptoms in children experiencing cancer is necessary if health care professionals hope to effectively manage their symptoms. To date, there is still much to be discovered about how children with cancer and their families experience childhood cancer symptoms. Accordingly, a longitudinal qualitative study was undertaken between July 1998 and December 2000 to explore and describe the childhood cancer symptom course from the perspectives of children and their families. The study was conducted in three settings: the participants' homes and both an inpatient and outpatient pediatric cancer unit located in Western Canada. Thirty-nine children (4 1/2- to 18-year-old males and females) with mixed cancer diagnoses and their families (parents and siblings) participated in the study. The majority of the children were diagnosed with either leukemia or lymphoma (72%), had siblings (87%), and two parents (87.2%), and remained in remission at the completion of the study (90%). All the children received chemotherapy either alone (56%) or in combination with surgery (18%), radiation (5%), radiation and bone marrow transplant (8%), radiation and surgery (10%), and surgery, radiation, and bone marrow transplant (3%). Multiple methods of data collection were used including open-ended formal interviewing and participant observation. Interview and participant observation data were analyzed by the constant comparative method of data analysis. The creation of illness narratives added to the understanding of children's and families' experiences. In addition to providing a description of how the symptoms affected children's and families' daily living, findings related to how to health professionals can better understand and approach children's cancer symptoms emerged. When families, physicians, nurses, and other health professionals approached children's symptoms solely as side effects (e.g., nausea) or singular physical and psychological states, children provided minimal description of what they were actually experiencing. However, a greater understanding was achieved when the symptoms were approached as dynamic multidimensional experiences that occurred within a particular context. Children experienced symptoms as feeling states. Critical to children's feeling states were the meanings that children and their families assigned to the symptoms. Viewing cancer symptoms in the context of assigned meanings has implications for how symptoms are assessed and managed. The need to develop a children's symptom assessment tool based on assigned meanings is recommended.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

A different perspective to approaching cancer symptoms in children

Woodgate

Degner

Yanofsky

2003

Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

130

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Although there is little disagreement that the ultimate goal of treatment for childhood leukemia is the total cure of the child—medical, educational, psychological, and social—the issue is how best to achieve this end 1,2 . The literature is filled with research‐based conclusions on which type of psychosocial intervention is best, 3 including when and how one should communicate with the child about the diagnosis, 4,5 how to help the parents maintain some sense of normality in their family life, 6–8 how to help the child return to school, 9 how to keep the siblings informed, 10,11 how to start parent groups, 12 how to involve parents in medical decision‐making, 12 how to prepare for the terminal phase when it occurs for some children, 13,14 and how to continue to monitor long‐term survivors 15–18 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Psychosocial Program for Childhood Leukemia in Monza, Italy

Masera

Jankovic

Adamoli³

et al. 1997

Ann NY Acad Sci

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Social support and social cognitive problem-solving in children with newly diagnosed cancer

Katz

Varni

1993

Cancer

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Children newly diagnosed with cancer have been documented to be at increased risk for difficulties in their return to school and ongoing positive social experiences. This article reviews the critical role of social support in helping children adjust to their illness and treatment. Social skills training for newly diagnosed children is presented as an important intervention strategy for increasing positive social interactions and overall psychosocial adjustment. A randomized, clinical research trial currently in progress that will evaluate the impact of social skills training on newly diagnosed children 5–13 years of age is delineated. The potentially positive impact of social skills training on the prevention of emotional problems and increased biologic survival are discussed.

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Psychological Aspects of Childhood Cancer

Cited by 19 publications

References 73 publications

A different perspective to approaching cancer symptoms in children

A different perspective to approaching cancer symptoms in children

The Psychosocial Program for Childhood Leukemia in Monza, Italy

Social support and social cognitive problem-solving in children with newly diagnosed cancer

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