Journal of Pediatric Psychology, Vol. 28, No. 4, 2003, pp. 281-286
© 2003 Society of Pediatric Psychology
Brief Report: Does Posttraumatic Stress Apply to Siblings of Childhood Cancer Survivors?
1 The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2 University of Pennsylvania
All correspondence should be sent to Melissa Alderfer at Division of Oncology, Rm. 1489 Market, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 34th & Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104. E-mail: alderfer{at}email.chop.edu.
Objective To investigate whether adolescent siblings of childhood cancer survivors experience posttraumatic stress (PTS). Methods Participants included 78 adolescent siblings of adolescent cancer survivors who completed self-report measures of anxiety, PTS, and perceptions of the cancer experience. Results Nearly half (49%) of our sample reported mild PTS and 32% indicated moderate to severe levels. One fourth of siblings thought their brother/sister would die during treatment; over half found the cancer experience scary and difficult. These perceptions were related to PTS. Siblings reported more PTS symptoms than a reference group of nonaffected teens but had similar levels of general anxiety. Conclusions Levels of PTS are elevated for siblings of childhood cancer survivors. Thus, PTS may be a useful model for understanding siblings' long-term reactions to cancer. Future research and clinical efforts should consider the needs of siblings of childhood cancer survivors in a family context.
Key words: siblings; cancer survivors; adolescents; posttraumatic stress..
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