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Potter BS, Crabtree VM, Ashford JM, Li Y, Liang J, Guo Y, Wise MS, Skoda ES, Merchant TE, Conklin HM. Performance and symptom validity indicators among children undergoing cognitive surveillance following treatment for craniopharyngioma. Neurooncol Pract 2024; 11:319-327. [PMID: 38737617 PMCID: PMC11085848 DOI: 10.1093/nop/npae005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Performance validity tests (PVTs) and symptom validity tests (SVTs) are essential to neuropsychological evaluations, helping ensure findings reflect true abilities or concerns. It is unclear how PVTs and SVTs perform in children who received radiotherapy for brain tumors. Accordingly, we investigated the rate of noncredible performance on validity indicators as well as associations with fatigue and lower intellectual functioning. Methods Embedded PVTs and SVTs were investigated in 98 patients with pediatric craniopharyngioma undergoing proton radiotherapy (PRT). The contribution of fatigue, sleepiness, and lower intellectual functioning to embedded PVT performance was examined. Further, we investigated PVTs and SVTs in relation to cognitive performance at pre-PRT baseline and change over time. Results SVTs on parent measures were not an area of concern. PVTs identified 0-31% of the cohort as demonstrating possible noncredible performance at baseline, with stable findings 1 year following PRT. Reliable digit span (RDS) noted the highest PVT failure rate; RDS has been criticized for false positives in pediatric populations, especially children with neurological impairment. Objective sleepiness was strongly associated with PVT failure, stressing need to consider arousal level when interpreting cognitive performance in children with craniopharyngioma. Lower intellectual functioning also needs to be considered when interpreting task engagement indices as it was strongly associated with PVT failure. Conclusions Embedded PVTs should be used with caution in pediatric craniopharyngioma patients who have received PRT. Future research should investigate different cut-off scores and validity indicator combinations to best differentiate noncredible performance due to task engagement versus variable arousal and/or lower intellectual functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian S Potter
- Department of Psychology and Biobehavioral Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Valerie McLaughlin Crabtree
- Department of Psychology and Biobehavioral Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jason M Ashford
- Department of Psychology and Biobehavioral Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Yimei Li
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jia Liang
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Yian Guo
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Merrill S Wise
- Mid-South Pulmonary and Sleep Specialists, PC, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Evelyn S Skoda
- Department of Psychology and Biobehavioral Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Thomas E Merchant
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Heather M Conklin
- Department of Psychology and Biobehavioral Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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Kayadjanian N, Hsu EA, Wood AM, Carson DS. Caregiver Burden and Its Relationship to Health-Related Quality of Life in Craniopharyngioma Survivors. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2023; 109:e76-e87. [PMID: 37597173 PMCID: PMC10735386 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgad488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Craniopharyngioma (CP) is a rare brain tumor associated with severe comorbidities that reduce survivor health-related quality of life (HRQOL). However, CP impact on caregivers is unknown. OBJECTIVE To measure caregiver burden and examine its relationship to survivor HRQOL and other determinants in CP. METHODS Eighty-two participants who self-identified as caregivers of CP survivors responded to an online survey including caregiver-reported Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), and the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). RESULTS Caregivers reported an average of 13 out of 29 health conditions in survivors following tumor treatment, including excess weight, hypopituitarism, fatigue, mood, cognition, social issues, temperature dysregulation, visual impairment, and sleep problems. Strikingly, 70% of survivors who experienced obesity also experienced hyperphagia. ZBI scores were moderate with a median of 37. PedsQL total scores were poor with a median of 46.2. ZBI scores were independent of caregiver level of education and care duration. Both scores were independent of income, survivor age, gender, age at diagnosis, or tumor recurrence. In contrast, both scores depended on the number (P < .001) and the type of survivor health problems, with significantly worse scores for caregivers or survivors with symptoms of hypothalamic dysfunction (P < .001) including hyperphagia but not obesity. PedsQL total scores significantly predicted ZBI scores (P < .001). CONCLUSION Survivor poly-symptomatology predicted and incurred significant caregiver burden. Our study separated hyperphagia and obesity and identified hyperphagia and other hypothalamic dysfunction symptoms as understudied issues. Altogether, these findings draw particular attention to the unmet needs of CP survivors and their caregivers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eugenie A Hsu
- Raymond A. Wood Foundation, Ocean City, MD 21842, USA
| | - Amy M Wood
- Raymond A. Wood Foundation, Ocean City, MD 21842, USA
| | - Dean S Carson
- Raymond A. Wood Foundation, Ocean City, MD 21842, USA
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Borrescio-Higa F, Valdés N. The Psychosocial Burden of Families with Childhood Blood Cancer. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19010599. [PMID: 35010854 PMCID: PMC8744617 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of death for children, and leukemias are the most common pediatric cancer diagnoses in Chile. Childhood cancer is a traumatic experience and is associated with distress, pain, and other negative experiences for patients and their families. Thus, psychosocial costs represent a large part of the overall burden of cancer. This study examines psychosocial experiences in a sample of 90 families of children with blood-related cancer in Chile. We provide a global overview of the family experience, focusing on patients, caregivers, and siblings. We find that most families report a negative impact upon diagnosis; disruptions in family dynamics; a range of negative feelings of the patient, such as depression, discouragement, and irritability; and difficulty with social lives. Additionally, they report negative effects in the relationship between the siblings of the patient and their parents, and within their caregivers' spouse/partner relationship, as well as a worsening of the economic condition of the primary caregiver. Furthermore, over half of the families in the sample had to move due to diagnosis and/or treatment. Promoting interventions that can help patients, siblings, and parents cope with distress and promote resilience and well-being are important.
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NIEL KRISTINA, KLAGES KIMBERLYL, MERCHANT THOMASE, WISE MERRILLS, HANCOCK DONNA, CAPLES MARY, MANDRELL BELINDAN, CONKLIN HEATHERM, CRABTREE VALERIEMCLAUGHLIN. Impact of sleep, neuroendocrine, and executive function on health-related quality of life in young people with craniopharyngioma. Dev Med Child Neurol 2021; 63:984-990. [PMID: 33754350 PMCID: PMC8544641 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.14866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
AIM To examine the impact of clinical factors, cognitive deficits, and sleepiness on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among young people with craniopharyngioma. METHOD Seventy-eight patients (67% White; 41 males, 37 females; mean age 10y 8mo, SD 3y 11mo, range 6-20y) with craniopharyngioma were assessed for tumor extent and diabetes insipidus. All patients underwent overnight polysomnography and multiple sleep latency tests after surgical resection. Executive functioning was assessed using parent-reported measures. Patients and their parents completed measures of HRQoL. None had a history of previous radiation therapy. RESULTS Path analysis was used to test hypothesized relations while controlling for demographic and disease characteristics. Analyses revealed poorer parent-reported HRQoL among young people with greater executive functioning symptoms (estimate -0.83; p<0.001). Direct and indirect effects were found among diabetes insipidus, executive functioning, and parent-reported HRQoL. Diabetes insipidus directly predicted greater global executive functioning impairment (estimate 5.15; p=0.04) and indirectly predicted lower HRQoL through executive functioning impairment (estimate -4.25; p=0.049). No significant effects were found between excessive daytime sleepiness, tumor hypothalamic involvement, diabetes insipidus, executive functioning, and patient-reported HRQoL. INTERPRETATION These findings suggest that young people with craniopharyngioma presenting with diabetes insipidus may benefit from targeted neurocognitive and psychosocial screening to inform interventions. What this paper adds Children with craniopharyngioma and executive functioning impairment are more likely to have poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Diabetes insipidus, a complication associated with surgery, predicted greater executive functioning impairment. Diabetes insipidus indirectly predicted lower parent-reported HRQoL through executive functioning impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- KRISTIN A NIEL
- Department of Psychology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | | | - THOMAS E MERCHANT
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - MERRILL S WISE
- Mid-South Pulmonary and Sleep Specialists, PC, Memphis, TN
| | - DONNA HANCOCK
- Department of Pediatric Medicine, Division of Nursing Research, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - MARY CAPLES
- Department of Pediatric Medicine, Division of Nursing Research, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - BELINDA N MANDRELL
- Department of Pediatric Medicine, Division of Nursing Research, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - HEATHER M CONKLIN
- Department of Psychology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
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Peterson RK, Williams T, Dlamini N, Westmacott R. Parent experiences and developmental outcomes following neonatal stroke. Clin Neuropsychol 2020; 35:973-987. [PMID: 32924802 DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2020.1815855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Parents of children with neonatal stroke offer critical insight into potential avenues to direct neuropsychological care from the time of diagnosis through the early years. The aims of this study were to (1) describe what parents remember about early prognostic discussions with the medical team and (2) to examine the relationships between initial prognoses and the child's current neurodevelopmental status and parents' mental health. Method: Thirty parents of children with neonatal stroke completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and Parent Experiences Questionnaire (PEQ). The children of these parents were also seen for neurodevelopmental/neuropsychological assessments. Results: Parents recalled discussions with the medical team about motor, language, cognitive, and academic outcomes, with fewer discussions about the impact of neonatal stroke on their child's social skills, behavior, attention, mental health, and adaptive functioning. Many parents recalled poor initial prognoses following their child's diagnosis, with better than expected outcomes 3 years later. Parent self-reported depression, anxiety, and stress were associated with higher ratings of externalizing symptoms in their child. There were no significant correlations between parent mental health and their perception of their child's internalizing symptoms, neurodevelopmental functioning, or any of the child's medical/demographic factors. Conclusions: This study highlights the role of the neuropsychologist in the child's care in educating families and monitoring outcomes, emphasizes mental health support for parents of children with a history of neonatal stroke, and reiterates how environmental factors outside of the neonatal stroke itself can impact the child's functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel K Peterson
- Department of Neuropsychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tricia Williams
- Department of Psychology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, USA
| | - Nomazulu Dlamini
- Department of Neurology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, USA
| | - Robyn Westmacott
- Department of Psychology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, USA
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Peterson RK, Chung J, Barrera M. Emotional symptoms and family functioning in caregivers of children with newly diagnosed leukemia/lymphomas and solid tumors: Short-term changes and related demographic factors. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2020; 67:e28059. [PMID: 31724323 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.28059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pediatric oncology diagnoses are distressing to caregivers. However, researchers have not investigated the impact that the type of cancer diagnosis has on caregiver anxiety, depression, distress, and family functioning. The purpose of this study was to longitudinally investigate the early trajectory of caregiver psychological symptoms of anxiety, depression, distress, and family functioning near diagnosis and 6 months later by cancer type, and to examine the demographic factors that may be associated with caregiver emotional and family functioning outcomes. METHODS Caregivers (n = 122) of children with a recent diagnosis of leukemia/lymphoma or solid tumor completed self-report measures of psychological and family functioning (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Distress Thermometer, and Family Environment Scale). RESULTS In general, caregivers endorsed elevated psychological symptoms at the time of diagnosis, which decreased 6 months later. Caregivers of children with solid tumors endorsed greater anxiety across time than caregivers of children with leukemia/lymphoma did. In addition to caring for a child with a solid tumor, female sex, non-White ethnicity, and non-English language spoken in the home were factors associated with anxious and depressive symptoms and poorer family functioning. CONCLUSION When creating psychosocial interventions for families of children with cancer, the unique demands of solid tumor treatments, the caregiver's sex, and cultural characteristics must be considered to promote coping, resiliency, and problem-solving skills around the time of diagnosis, particularly in more vulnerable families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel K Peterson
- Department of Psychology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joanna Chung
- Department of Psychology, British Columbia Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Maru Barrera
- Department of Psychology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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