T Em Arpawong1, Alyssa Oland2, Joel E Milam1, Kathleen Ruccione2,3, Kathleen A Meeske1,2. 1. Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 2. Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 3. Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Although some survivors of childhood cancer report significant psychosocial distress, many also report having derived benefits, or post-traumatic growth (PTG), from their cancer experience. This study examines PTG and its correlates among an ethnically diverse sample of adolescent/young adult (AYA) cancer survivors who have recently completed treatment. METHODS: Survivors of childhood cancer (n = 94; 47% Hispanic), ages 11-21 and within 6 months of completing cancer therapy, were recruited from three pediatric cancer centers. Participants completed a structured interview that assessed demographics, PTG, post-traumatic stress symptoms, health-related quality of life, optimism, and depressive symptoms. Diagnosis/treatment information was collected from each patient's medical record. Multiple regression analyses were used to identify significant correlates of PTG. RESULTS: The majority of survivors reported positive growth. PTG was positively associated with psychosocial functioning and post-traumatic stress symptoms and inversely associated with physical functioning and depressive symptoms. PTG was significantly lower among survivors of bone tumors (vs. survivors of other cancers) and Hispanic survivors who primarily spoke English at home (vs. Hispanics who primarily spoke Spanish at home and non-Hispanics). PTG was not significantly related to age, sex, optimism, cancer treatment modality, duration of treatment, or treatment intensity. CONCLUSIONS: The AYA survivors commonly reported PTG in the immediate aftermath of cancer treatment. Findings regarding PTG among more acculturated Hispanic and bone tumor AYA survivors may help to inform risk-adapted clinical interventions, among those transitioning from active treatment to post-treatment surveillance, to mitigate negative long-term sequelae and enhance positive psychosocial adaptation from the cancer diagnosis and treatment.
OBJECTIVE: Although some survivors of childhood cancer report significant psychosocial distress, many also report having derived benefits, or post-traumatic growth (PTG), from their cancer experience. This study examines PTG and its correlates among an ethnically diverse sample of adolescent/young adult (AYA) cancer survivors who have recently completed treatment. METHODS: Survivors of childhood cancer (n = 94; 47% Hispanic), ages 11-21 and within 6 months of completing cancer therapy, were recruited from three pediatric cancer centers. Participants completed a structured interview that assessed demographics, PTG, post-traumatic stress symptoms, health-related quality of life, optimism, and depressive symptoms. Diagnosis/treatment information was collected from each patient's medical record. Multiple regression analyses were used to identify significant correlates of PTG. RESULTS: The majority of survivors reported positive growth. PTG was positively associated with psychosocial functioning and post-traumatic stress symptoms and inversely associated with physical functioning and depressive symptoms. PTG was significantly lower among survivors of bone tumors (vs. survivors of other cancers) and Hispanic survivors who primarily spoke English at home (vs. Hispanics who primarily spoke Spanish at home and non-Hispanics). PTG was not significantly related to age, sex, optimism, cancer treatment modality, duration of treatment, or treatment intensity. CONCLUSIONS: The AYA survivors commonly reported PTG in the immediate aftermath of cancer treatment. Findings regarding PTG among more acculturated Hispanic and bone tumor AYA survivors may help to inform risk-adapted clinical interventions, among those transitioning from active treatment to post-treatment surveillance, to mitigate negative long-term sequelae and enhance positive psychosocial adaptation from the cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Authors: Barbara L Jones; Deborah L Volker; Yolanda Vinajeras; Linda Butros; Cynthia Fitchpatrick; Kelly Rossetto Journal: Cancer Nurs Date: 2010 Jan-Feb Impact factor: 2.592
Authors: Diana C M Seitz; Daniela Hagmann; Tanja Besier; Ute Dieluweit; Klaus-Michael Debatin; Desiree Grabow; Peter Kaatsch; Gerhard Henrich; Lutz Goldbeck Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2010-09-16 Impact factor: 4.147
Authors: R Felder-Puig; A K Formann; A Mildner; W Bretschneider; B Bucher; R Windhager; A Zoubek; S Puig; R Topf Journal: Cancer Date: 1998-07-01 Impact factor: 6.860
Authors: Branlyn E Werba; Wendy Hobbie; Anne E Kazak; Richard F Ittenbach; Anne F Reilly; Anna T Meadows Journal: Pediatr Blood Cancer Date: 2007-06-15 Impact factor: 3.167
Authors: Micòl E Gianinazzi; Corina S Rueegg; Janine Vetsch; Sonja Lüer; Claudia E Kuehni; Gisela Michel Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2015-05-24 Impact factor: 3.603
Authors: Joel E Milam; Kathleen Meeske; Rhona I Slaughter; Sandra Sherman-Bien; Anamara Ritt-Olson; Aura Kuperberg; David R Freyer; Ann S Hamilton Journal: Cancer Date: 2014-10-23 Impact factor: 6.860
Authors: Glynnis A McDonnell; Christina G Salley; Marie Barnett; Antonio P DeRosa; Rachel S Werk; Allison Hourani; Alyssa B Hoekstra; Jennifer S Ford Journal: J Adolesc Health Date: 2017-07-17 Impact factor: 5.012
Authors: Thalida E Arpawong; Louise A Rohrbach; Joel E Milam; Jennifer B Unger; Helen Land; Ping Sun; Donna Spruijt-Metz; Steve Sussman Journal: J Posit Psychol Date: 2014-12-24