Psychological Outcomes, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Neurocognitive Functioning in Survivors of Childhood Cancer and Their Parents

Abstract

Childhood cancer disrupts the lives of patients and their families and affects acute and long-term psychological health. This article summarizes (1) psychological challenges, including depression, anxiety, worries, and posttraumatic stress, as well as positive outcomes such as benefit finding and posttraumatic growth in young survivors and parents; (2) health-related quality of life; (3) interventions to support survivors and parents with psychological difficulties; and (4) neurocognitive problems and interventions to help alleviate them. Although many survivors and parents fare well in the long term, many survivors may benefit from interventions. Interventions should be further evaluated and integrated into routine clinical care.

Keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Distress; Health-related quality of life; Intervention; Neuropsychological; Parent; Posttraumatic stress.