Purpose: While limited, dyadic research demonstrates the interdependent relationship between the health and adjustment after treatment between cancer survivors and caregivers. We examined interrelationships between coping resources and mental health among childhood cancer survivors (CCS)-parent dyads.
Methods: One hundred sixty CCS-parent dyads from the Project Forward pilot study completed validated questions assessing social support, religiosity, spirituality, depressive symptoms, and perceived stress. Bidirectional associations were identified with path analysis utilizing the actor-partner interdependence model (APIM). We used a multigroup approach to test for the moderating effects by Hispanic ethnicity on these relationships.
Results: Mean age of CCS was 20 years old, 51% female, 30% diagnosed with leukemia, and mean of 7 years from diagnosis. The mean age of parents was 49 years old and 89% were mothers. For both CCS and parents, perceived social support was inversely associated with their depressive symptoms and perceived stress (e.g., actor effects). Parents' social support was not significantly associated with CCS's depressive symptoms and stress. However, higher perceived social support by the CCS was inversely associated with parents' depressive symptoms (β = - 0.202, p < 0.01) and perceived stress (β = - 0.164, p < 0.05) (e.g., partner effects). Additional actor effects were observed between spirituality, religiosity, and depressive systems when we explored the moderating effects of Hispanic ethnicity.
Conclusion: Partner effects of social support among CCS-parent dyads may influence psychological distress.
Implication for cancer survivors: Our findings on parent-child associations between social support and psychosocial well-being imply that survivorship care can be enhanced when the social support needs of both survivors and their parents are addressed together.
Keywords: Childhood cancer survivors; Coping resources; Mental health; Parents.
© 2023. The Author(s).