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Stressful life events and posttraumatic stress symptoms in children with cancer
Author(s) -
Currier Joseph M.,
JobeShields Lisa E.,
Phipps Sean
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.20382
Subject(s) - stressor , socioeconomic status , cancer , posttraumatic stress , clinical psychology , psychology , childhood cancer , psychiatry , medicine , environmental health , population
This study examined the contribution of stressful life events in posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) stemming from childhood cancer among 121 patients. When controlling for demographic characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status), cancer factors (treatment status, time since diagnosis, and cancer type), and intensity of parental PTSS, history of stressful life events in the child's life emerged as a salient correlate of PTSS across the different measures and reporting methods used in the study. Overall, children who had experienced more frequent and severe life stressors endorsed greater PTSS in relation to the cancer experience. Clinical work and future research on children with cancer should focus accordingly on the potential cumulative impact of stressful life events on PTSS.