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Post‐traumatic stress disorder in cancer: a review
Author(s) -
Smith Meredith Y.,
Redd William H.,
Peyser Caroline,
Vogl Dan
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
psycho‐oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.41
H-Index - 137
eISSN - 1099-1611
pISSN - 1057-9249
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1611(199911/12)8:6<521::aid-pon423>3.0.co;2-x
Subject(s) - stressor , traumatic stress , cancer , clinical psychology , medicine , psychiatry , pediatric cancer , psychology
The stressor criterion for Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been recently modified to include life‐threatening illnesses, such as cancer, as precipitating traumatic events. We sought to examine the empiric evidence for cancer's inclusion as a traumatic stressor. Nine published studies assessing PTSD in cancer survivors and/or family members were identified in the literature. The studies were predominantly small ( n <100) and cross‐sectional. Study target groups included one or more of the following: children cancer survivors, parents of pediatric survivors and adult cancer survivors. There was considerable inter‐ and intra‐study variability in the type and stage of cancer diagnosed and in the type of treatment regimens participants had undergone. Only three studies utilized a validated PTSD diagnostic tool to evaluate the disorder. Evidence of full‐blown PTSD was found for adults and parents, and for children in all but one instance. These results suggest that a PTSD symptom assessment provides valuable clinical information concerning the post‐treatment adjustment of cancer survivors and their immediate family members. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.