Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Oct;33(10):e9313.
doi: 10.1002/pon.9313.

Risk and Protective Factors of Psychosocial Functioning in Survivors of Childhood Cancer: Results of the DCCSS-LATER Study

Anne Maas  1 , Heleen Maurice-Stam  1 , E A M Lieke Feijen  1 , Jop C Teepen  1 , Alied M van der Aa-van Delden  1 , Nina Streefkerk  1 , Eline van Dulmen-den Broeder  2 , Wim J E Tissing  1   3 , Jacqueline J Loonen  4 , Helena J H van der Pal  1 , Andrica C H de Vries  1   5 , Marry M van den Heuvel-Eibrink  1   5   6 , Cécile Ronckers  1   7 , Sebastian Neggers  1   8 , Dorine Bresters  1   9 , Marloes Louwerens  10 , Birgitta A B Versluys  1   6 , Margriet van der Heiden-van der Loo  1 , Leontien C M Kremer  1   6   11 , Martha Grootenhuis  1 ; DCCSS‐LATER Study Group
Affiliations

Risk and Protective Factors of Psychosocial Functioning in Survivors of Childhood Cancer: Results of the DCCSS-LATER Study

Anne Maas et al. Psychooncology. 2024 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: This study examines the association between psychosocial risk and protective factors and a wide range of psychosocial outcomes including emotional, social, cognitive, and physical domains in childhood cancer survivors (CCS).

Methods: CCS from the Dutch Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (DCCSS)-LATER cohort (diagnosed 1963-2001) part 2 (age ≥ 18 years, diagnosed < 18 years, ≥ 5 years since diagnosis) completed questionnaires on psychosocial risk and protective factors (Benefit and Burden Scale, Illness Cognition Questionnaire, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Impact of Cancer Scale), and psychosocial outcomes (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Self-Rating Scale for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, TNO-AZL Questionnaire for Adult Health-Related Quality of Life, and Short Form-36). Associations were assessed with regression analysis, adjusting for attained age, sex, number of health conditions, and time since diagnosis, while correcting for multiple testing (p < 0.004).

Results: A total of 1382 CCS participated, all diagnosed ≥ 15 years ago. The mean age of participating CCS was 36 years, and 51% were female. Perceived benefit and burden, acceptance, and helplessness, self-esteem and social support were associated with the psychosocial outcomes. In the models including all psychosocial factors, most associations with psychosocial outcomes were seen for self-esteem (10×), and perceived burden (9×). Self-esteem (all β ≤ 0.47) and perceived burden (all β ≤ 0.38) demonstrated strongest associations of medium/large size.

Conclusions: Perceptions of childhood cancer, illness cognitions, self-esteem, and social support play a role in explaining psychosocial functioning in CCS, outweighing the influence of socio-demographic and medical variables. Addressing negative perceptions and reducing feelings of helplessness, while promoting acceptance, self-esteem, and social support, could provide intervention targets for CCS who encounter psychosocial challenges.

Keywords: childhood cancer survivors; health‐related quality of life; illness cognitions; illness perceptions; psychosocial functioning; psycho‐oncology; self‐esteem; social support.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. R. L. Siegel, K. D. Miller, and A. Jemal, “Cancer Statistics, 2019,” CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians 69, no. 1 (2019): 7–34, https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21551.
    1. M. M. Hudson, K. K. Ness, J. G. Gurney, et al., “Clinical Ascertainment of Health Outcomes Among Adults Treated for Childhood Cancer,” JAMA 309, no. 22 (2013): 2371–2381, https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2013.6296.
    1. N. Streefkerk, J. C. Teepen, E. A. M. Feijen, et al., “The Cumulative Burden of Self‐Reported, Clinically Relevant Outcomes in Long‐Term Childhood Cancer Survivors and Implications for Survivorship Care: A DCCSS LATER Study,” Cancer 130, no. 8 (2023): 1349–1358, https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.35148.
    1. G. Michel, T. M. Brinkman, C. E. Wakefield, and M. Grootenhuis, “Psychological Outcomes, Health‐Related Quality of Life, and Neurocognitive Functioning in Survivors of Childhood Cancer and Their Parents,” Pediatric Clinics of North America 67, no. 6 (2020): 1103–1134, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcl.2020.07.005.
    1. J. McDougall and M. Tsonis, “Quality of Life in Survivors of Childhood Cancer: A Systematic Review of the Literature (2001–2008),” Supportive Care in Cancer 17, no. 10 (2009): 1231–1246, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520‐009‐0660‐0.

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources