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OBJECTIVE Although cancer patients with minor children have become more of a focus of psycho-oncological research, little is known about specific parenting concerns. Instruments to assess the concerns and worries of parents with cancer are rare. The Parenting Concerns Questionnaire (PCQ) addresses this issue. We analyzed parenting concerns in cancer survivors and evaluated the German version of the PCQ. METHODS A total of 1416 cancer survivors with minor and young adult children (≤21 years) were recruited in a register-based study. Descriptive analyses as well as reliability and validity analyses were conducted. We performed a confirmatory factorial analysis of the factor structure proposed by the authors of the original version on the PCQ. RESULTS Seventy-three percent of the cancer survivors were women, average age was 47.5 years (SD 5.9). Mean time since diagnosis was 44 months (SD 23.4). Between 18 and 31% of survivors reported that they were concerned about their children. The PCQ proved to be a reliable and valid instrument showing medium correlations with standardized measures in expected directions and discriminating between survivors with and without use of psychosocial support services. The factor structure was supported by the confirmatory factorial analysis. CONCLUSIONS Assessing parenting concerns gives an additional insight into the situation of parents with cancer. In our sample of cancer survivors, we identified one out of three survivors being concerned regarding the impact of their illness on their children. The PCQ can be considered as a valid and reliable instrument with regard to identifying concerned parents with cancer. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
OBJECTIVES Children of cancer patients have an increased risk for developing emotional problems. While psychosocial cancer counselling services are available all over the country, it is unclear if parents seek for help and if specific approaches for families are offered. METHODS A survey was made of outpatient cancer counselling services in Germany (n=228). The response rate was 56%. Descriptive and content analyses of the data have been used. RESULTS Providers estimate that 55% of their patients are between 18 and 55 years with 18% of them having minor children. However, only 53% do regularly ask their patients if they have minor children. Family- or child-settings are not provided regularly. Over 60% of providers would welcome special courses on this subject. CONCLUSION Although psychosocial care of minor children is mentioned in outpatient psychosocial cancer counselling guidelines, children are not included regularly. A stronger emphasis on this topic in further education has to be made.
UNLABELLED BACKGROUND Parental palliative disease is a family affair, however adolescent's well-being and coping are still rarely considered. The objectives of this paper were a) to identify differences in psychosocial adjustment and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among adolescents and young adults with parents suffering from palliative cancer or cancers in other disease stages, b) to relate psychosocial adjustment and health-related quality of life to adolescent coping, and c) to explore significant mediator and predictor variables. METHODS Cross-sectional data were derived from a multi-site research study of families before child-centered counselling. N=86 adolescents and young adults were included, their mean age 13.78 years (sd 2.45), 56% being female. Performed analyses included ANCOVA, multiple linear regression, and mediation analysis. RESULTS Adolescents with parents suffering from palliative cancers reported significantly less total psychosocial problems, and better overall HRQoL. There were no significant group differences regarding coping frequency and efficacy. Our set of coping items significantly mediated the effect of parental disease stage on psychosocial problems and HRQoL. Further, parental disease status and general family functioning predicted psychosocial problems (R2adj =.390) and HRQoL (R2adj =.239) best. CONCLUSION The study indicates distress among adolescents throughout the entire parental disease process. Our analysis suggests that counselling services could offer supportive interventions which focus particularly on adolescent coping as well as family functioning.