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Keim MC, Fladeboe K, Galtieri LR, Kawamura J, King K, Friedman D, Compas B, Breiger D, Lengua L, Katz LF. Primary and secondary caregiver depressive symptoms and family functioning following a pediatric cancer diagnosis: an exploration of the buffering hypothesis. Psychooncology 2021; 30:928-935. [PMID: 33724595 DOI: 10.1002/pon.5676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE After diagnosis, caregivers of children with cancer, particularly mothers or primary caregivers (PCs), often show elevated depressive symptoms which may negatively impact family functioning. We tested PC and secondary caregiver (SC) depressive symptoms as predictors of family, co-parenting, and marital functioning and whether having a non-depressed SC buffers against potential negative effects of PC depressive symptoms. METHODS Families (N = 137) were recruited from two major children's hospitals following a diagnosis of pediatric cancer. Caregivers completed self-report measures of depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale; Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale) and marital functioning (Dyadic Adjustment Scale) at 1-month post-diagnosis. A subset of families (n = 75) completed videotaped interaction tasks at approximately 3-months post-diagnosis that were coded for family and co-parenting interactions. RESULTS Higher PC depressive symptoms at 1-month post-diagnosis was associated with higher adaptability and lower conflict in family functioning. PC depressive symptoms were also associated lower dyadic consensus and lower dyadic satisfaction. SC depressive symptoms were not significantly associated with any family/co-parenting/marital functioning variables. Significant interaction analyses suggested that SC depressive symptoms moderated the effect of PC depressive symptoms on family cohesion, withdrawn parenting, and affective expression in the marriage, such that the relationship between PC depressive symptoms and poorer functioning was attenuated when SC depressive symptoms were at low or average levels. CONCLUSIONS Having a nondepressed SC buffered against negative effects of PC depressive symptoms on certain domains of family, coparenting, and marital functioning. SCs may play a protective role for families of children with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madelaine C Keim
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Fladeboe
- Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Liana R Galtieri
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Joy Kawamura
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kevin King
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Debra Friedman
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Bruce Compas
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - David Breiger
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Liliana Lengua
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Porter LS, Baucom DH, Bonner M, Linardic C, Kazak AE. Parenting a child with cancer: a couple-based approach. Transl Behav Med 2020; 9:504-513. [PMID: 31094434 DOI: 10.1093/tbm/ibz016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Couples co-parenting a child with cancer face significant stressors that can adversely affect their couple relationship. How parents respond as a couple may affect the psychological adjustment of each parent and the child, as well as the ability of the family to cope with the child's illness. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a couple-based intervention for parents of children with cancer. We conducted a randomized pilot intervention study (N = 21 couples randomized with a 2:1 allocation to the couple-based intervention or education control) testing a six-session, telephone-based intervention that trained couples in relationship skills to help them care for their child, strengthen their relationship, and support each other. We examined feasibility and acceptability of the intervention to the parents. In this study, 56% of eligible couples agreed to participate; 82% of randomized couples completed post-intervention surveys, and 62% completed all six sessions. Satisfaction with the intervention was high (mean = 3.3 on a 4-point scale). Changes in both groups were small in magnitude and mixed in direction, with some outcomes favoring the couple-based intervention and other favoring the education condition. Supporting couples is important to optimize individual and parental functioning when a child has cancer. However, there are significant challenges to delivering couple-based interventions to these parents. More research is needed to establish optimal timing and content of couple-based interventions for these parents as well as feasible methods of delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura S Porter
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Donald H Baucom
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Melanie Bonner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Corinne Linardic
- Department of Pediatrics-Hematology/Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Anne E Kazak
- Center for Healthcare Delivery Science, Nemours Children's Health System, Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Wilmington, DE, USA
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Reblin M, Stanley NB, Galligan A, Reed D, Quinn GP. Family dynamics in young adult cancer caregiving: “It should be teamwork”. J Psychosoc Oncol 2019; 37:526-540. [DOI: 10.1080/07347332.2018.1563582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Nathanael B. Stanley
- Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, USA
- University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | | | - Damon Reed
- Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, USA
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