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Multicenter Study
. 2021 Mar;10(5):1860-1871.
doi: 10.1002/cam4.3750. Epub 2021 Feb 1.

Motor ability, physical self-concept and health-related quality of life in pediatric cancer survivors

Valentin Benzing  1   2   3 , Valerie Siegwart  2   3 , Janine Spitzhüttl  3   4 , Jürg Schmid  1 , Michael Grotzer  5 , Claudia M Roebers  4 , Maja Steinlin  3 , Kurt Leibundgut  2 , Regula Everts  2   3 , Mirko Schmidt  1
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Motor ability, physical self-concept and health-related quality of life in pediatric cancer survivors

Valentin Benzing et al. Cancer Med. 2021 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Cancer survivorship is frequently associated with severe late effects. However, research into pediatric cancer survivors on late effects in motor ability, physical self-concept and their relationship to quality of life is limited.

Methods: Using multiple regression analyses, 78 pediatric cancer survivors and 56 typically developing children were compared in motor ability, physical self-concept and health-related quality of life. In addition, mediational multi-group analyses between motor ability (independent variable), physical self-concept (mediator) and quality of life (dependent variable) were calculated.

Results: Pediatric cancer survivors had a lower motor ability (gHedges = 0.863), a lower physical self-concept with regard to several scales of the PSDQ-S (gHedges = 0.318-0.764) and a higher relative risk for a below average quality of life than controls (RR = 1.44). Children with a history of cancer involving the central nervous system showed poorer motor ability compared to those without central nervous system involvement (gHedges = 0.591). Furthermore, the physical self-concept significantly mediated the relationship between motor ability and quality of life in pediatric cancer survivors but not in typically developing children.

Conclusions: Results show the importance of monitoring and supporting the development of motor ability in the aftercare of pediatric cancer survivors. Physical activity interventions may be advisable to prevent physical activity-related late effects and potentially improve related psychosocial variables such as quality of life.

Keywords: childhood cancer; motor functioning; motor performance; pediatric oncology; perceived motor competence; physical fitness; well-being.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors do not have any conflicts of interest. The results of the study are presented clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Mediation analyses between motor ability (German Motor Test), the physical self‐concept (PSDQ‐S global physical) and quality of life (KIDSCREEN‐10) for pediatric cancer survivors (1A) and typically developing children (1B). Note. R2 represents the proportion of the explained variance by the model; a, b, c’ refer to the respective paths of the mediation model; for each path standardized parameter estimates, significances and standardized confidence intervals (in square brackets) are indicated; path c’ represents the direct effect
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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