Journal of Pediatric Psychology Advance Access originally published online on October 26, 2005
Journal of Pediatric Psychology 2006 31(8):785-792; doi:10.1093/jpepsy/jsj087
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Psychological Distress and the Impact of Social Support on Fathers and Mothers of Pediatric Cancer Patients: Long-Term Prospective Results
1 Psychosocial Services, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, 2 Beatrix Children’s Hospital, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, and 3 Comprehensive Cancer Center North Netherlands
All correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Barbara J. Wijnberg-Williams, MSc, Psychosocial Services, University Medical Center Groningen, PO Box 30.001, Groningen 9700 RB, the Netherlands. E-mail: b.j.wijnberg{at}psb.umcg.nl.
Received April 15, 2005; revisions received July 19 2005 and September 15, 2005; accepted October 3, 2005
Objective To explore the effects of social support on psychological distress of parents of pediatric cancer patients using a prospective design over a 5-year period. Methods Parents of children diagnosed with cancer participated at diagnosis (T1), 6 months (T2), 12 months (T3), and 5 years later (T4). Instruments The General Health Questionnaire and the Social Support List (SSL) measuring amount of support, (dis)satisfaction with support, and negative interactions were administered. Results Psychological distress and amount of support received decreased significantly from diagnosis to T4. No significant change in (dis)satisfaction with support and negative interactions was found. Social support variables did not show any concurrent or prospective significant effect on mothers’ distress at T4. Dissatisfaction with support showed a significant unique concurrent effect on fathers’ distress at T4 and negative interactions had a prospective unique effect. Conclusions Dissatisfaction with support and negative interactions that fathers experienced significantly affected their levels of psychological distress. No such effect was found for mothers.
Key words: parents stress; pediatric cancer; prospective longitudinal study; social support.
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