The psychological status of children with cancer.

The psychological and social functioning of a sample of 16 children with cancer was assessed 3-5 years after diagnosis using Achenbach's Child Behavior Checklist. Analysis indicated that 81% of the children were involved in age-appropriate social interactions and the same percentage showed normal behavioral patterns. No significant differences were found due to gender, type of tumor, or behavior over time. The children in this sample appeared to be functioning normally, both psychologically and socially, three to five years after a diagnosis of cancer.