The psychosocial status of siblings and mothers of children with cancer from the perspective of mothers

Yıl 2023, Cilt: 6 Sayı: 6, 1285 - 1292, 29.10.2023

Evin İlter Bahadur , Feryal Karahan , Asena Ayça Özdemir

https://doi.org/10.32322/jhsm.1344400

Öz

Aims: In the low/middle income countries (LMIC), a few of health centers provide psychological support to siblings and mothers of children with cancer. The aim of study was to draw attention to psychosocial status of siblings and mothers of children with cancer in a LMIC.
Methods: The study was a case-control study which was conducted at a tertiary center in Mersin, Turkey. The sample consisted of two groups as follows; siblings of children with cancer (n=39) were included as study group and children without cancer diagnosis in family (n=49) were included as control group. Behavioral problems of the children were evaluated with the Child Behavior Checklist 4-18. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale (MSPSS) were used for maternal depressive symptoms and maternal perceived social support.
Results: In contrast to what was expected, there was no statistical difference in behavioral problems among two groups. Maternal BDI was higher and MSPSS was lower in the study group compared to the control group. Study group had more school difficulties such as absenteeism (p<0.001) and poor school performance (p=0.011). Grandmother caregiving, less maternal social support from her spouse, poor school performance, less knowledge about the cancer diagnosis, mother's depressive symptoms, longer hospital stay for cancer treatment, being female and being older were found to be risk factors for behavioral problems of study group.
Conclusion: Mothers of children with cancer had more depressive symptoms and lower social support. Behavioral problems of siblings of children with cancer may be related to school adaptation, maternal mental health, maternal social support, and socio-demographic characteristics. The intervention of maternal mental health should provide to optimize well -being of mother and siblings. School absenteeism and poor school performance should be investigated for intervention programs for behavior problems of siblings of children with cancer.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Behavioral problems, mothers of children with cancer, siblings of children with cancer, low/middle income countries

Kaynakça

• Long KA, Marsland AL. Family adjustment to childhood cancer: a systematic review. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev. 2011;14(1):57-88.
• Alderfer MA, Long KA, Lown EA, et al. Psychosocial adjustment of siblings of children with cancer: a systematic review. Psycho‐Oncol. 2010;19(8):789-805.
• Gan LL, Lum A, Wakefield CE, Nandakumar B, Fardell JE. School experiences of siblings of children with chronic illness: a systematic literature review. J Pediatr Nurs. 2017;33:23-32.
• Gerhardt CA, Lehmann V, Long KA, Alderfer MA. Supporting siblings as a standard of care in pediatric oncology. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2015;62(S5):S750-S804.
• Wiener L, Kazak AE, Noll RB, Patenaude AF, Kupst MJ. Standards for the psychosocial care of children with cancer and their families: an introduction to the special issue. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2015;62(S5):S419-S424.
• Karayağmurlu A, Coşkun M, Pekpak E, et al. The assessment of quality of life, depression and anxiety in siblings of children with cancer: a case-control study. Turk J Oncol. 2021;36(1).
• Long KA, Lehmann V, Gerhardt CA, Carpenter AL, Marsland AL, Alderfer MA. Psychosocial functioning and risk factors among siblings of children with cancer: an updated systematic review. Psycho‐Oncol. 2018;27(6):1467-1479.
• Huang YL, Yates P, Prior D. Factors influencing oncology nurses’ approaches to accommodating cultural needs in palliative care. J Clin Nurs. 2009;18(24):3421-3429.
• Beck AT, Steer RA, Carbin MG. Psychometric properties of the Beck depression inventory: twenty-five years of evaluation. Clin Psychol Rev. 1988;8(1):77-100.
• Hisli N. Beck depresyon envanterinin universite ogrencileri icin gecerliligi, guvenilirligi (a reliability and validity study of Beck depression inventory in a university student sample). J Psychol. 1989;7:3-13.
• Zimet GD, Dahlem NW, Zimet SG, Farley GK. The multidimensional scale of perceived social support. J Pers Assess. 1988;52(1):30-41.
• Eker D, Arkar H, Yaldız H. Factorial structure, validity, and reliability of revised form of the multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Turk J Psychiatry. 2001;12(1):17-25.
• Achenbach TM. Manual for the Child Behavior Checklist/4-18 and 1991 profile. University of Vermont, Department of Psychiatry. 1991.
• Erol N. The adaptation and standardisation of the child behavior checklist among 6-18 year-old Turkish children. Eunethydis Europan Approaches to Hyperkinetic Disorders. 1995.
• Silva-Rodrigues FM, Pan R, Sposito AMP, de Andrade Alvarenga W, Nascimento LC. Childhood cancer: impact on parents’ marital dynamics. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2016;23:34-42.
• Lau S, Lu X, Balsamo L, et al. Family life events in the first year of acute lymphoblastic leukemia therapy: a children's oncology group report. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2014;61(12):2277-2284.
• Borrescio-Higa F, Valdés N. The psychosocial burden of families with childhood blood cancer. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(1):599.
• Howard Sharp KM, Fisher RS, Clark OE, et al. Long-term trajectories of depression symptoms in mothers of children with cancer. Health Psychol. 2020;39(2):89.
• Altay N, Kilicarslan E, Sarı Ç, Kisecik Z. Determination of social support needs and expectations of mothers of children with cancer. J Pediatr Oncol Nurs. 2014;31(3):147-153.
• Bates CR, Fairclough D, Noll RB, et al. Psychosocial functioning of caregivers of pediatric brain tumor survivors. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2022;69(4):e29565.
• Cordaro G, Veneroni L, Massimino M, Clerici CA. Assessing psychological adjustment in siblings of children with cancer: parents’ perspectives. Cancer Nurs. 2012;35(1):E42-E50.
• Houtzager BA, Oort FJ, Hoekstra-Weebers JE, Caron HN, Grootenhuis MA, Last BF. Coping and family functioning predict longitudinal psychological adaptation of siblings of childhood cancer patients. J Pediatr Psychol. 2004;29(8):591-605.
• Houtzager B, Grootenhuis M, Caron H, Last B. Quality of life and psychological adaptation in siblings of paediatric cancer patients, 2 years after diagnosis. Psycho‐Oncol. 2004;13(8):499-511.
• Bronfenbrenner U. Toward an experimental ecology of human development. Am Psychol. 1977;32(7):513.
• Van Schoors M, Caes L, Knoble NB, et al. Systematic review: Associations between family functioning and child adjustment after pediatric cancer diagnosis: a meta-analysis. J Pediatr Psychol. 2017;42(1):6-18.
• Nolbris MJ, Ahlström BH. Siblings of children with cancer-Their experiences of participating in a person-centered support intervention combining education, learning and reflection: Pre-and post-intervention interviews. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2014;18(3):254-260.
• Lähteenmäki P, Sjöblom J, Korhonen T, Salmi T. The siblings of childhood cancer patients need early support: a follow up study over the first year. Arch Dis Child. 2004;89(11):1008-1013.