Premium
The impact of connectedness on social functioning in youth with brain tumors
Author(s) -
Willard Victoria W.,
Russell Kathryn M.,
Long Alanna,
Phipps Sean
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
pediatric blood and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.116
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1545-5017
pISSN - 1545-5009
DOI - 10.1002/pbc.27607
Subject(s) - social connectedness , psychosocial , medicine , social functioning , psychological resilience , clinical psychology , social support , developmental psychology , social isolation , psychology , psychiatry , social psychology , distress
Purpose Children with brain tumors (BT) are at risk for difficulties with social functioning. Research to date has focused on deficits, with no studies identifying areas of strength or resilience. Our objective was to assess the potential influence of connectedness on social functioning in youth with BT as compared with children with other cancers. Methods Children with cancer (20 with BT, 33 with other diagnoses) were enrolled on a longitudinal study of psychosocial functioning. The current study included measures from time 2 (+1 year after enrollment; M age = 13.11 ± 2.31, M timesincediagnosis = 4.95 ± 3.74 years) and time 3 (+3 years after enrollment; M age = 14.98 ± 2.36, M timesincediagnosis = 6.82 ± 3.81 years). Youth completed the Hemingway Measure of Adolescent Connectedness (HMAC) at time 2. Two years later, social functioning was assessed by the self‐ and proxy‐report versions of the Social‐Emotional Assets and Resilience Scale (SEARS). Results Youth with BT perceived that they were less connected to friends ( t (50) = −2.13, P = 0.04), but similarly connected to peers as youth with other cancers. Youth with BT also demonstrated lower social functioning by self‐ and parent report. Connectedness to friends significantly mediated the relationship between diagnostic category and self‐reported social functioning, such that youth with BT who reported being more connected to friends also indicated greater social functioning. Analyses using connectedness to peers and/or parent‐reported social functioning were nonsignificant. Conclusions Perceiving a connection to a friend may be a protective factor that could mitigate deficits in social functioning in youth with BT. Additional research is needed to further assess the potential benefits of this construct.