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Emotion regulation, internalizing symptoms and somatic complaints in pediatric survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Author(s) -
Katz Lynn Fainsilber,
Heleniak Charlotte,
Kawamura Joy,
Jakubiak Jessica
Publication year - 2015
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/pon.3762
Subject(s) - lymphoblastic leukemia , somatic cell , psychology , medicine , clinical psychology , leukemia , genetics , biology , gene
Objectives This study aimed to examine whether respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA)—a physiological index of children's emotion regulation—moderates the relation between cancer diagnosis and internalizing problems in children. Methods Participants were twenty‐two 7–12‐year survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 20 age‐matched controls. RSA was calculated from cardiac interbeat interval using spectral time‐series analysis. t ‐Scores on the Child Behavior Checklist Anxious/Depressed, Withdrawn/Depressed, and Somatic Complaints subscales were computed. Results Respiratory sinus arrhythmia moderated the relation between diagnostic status and both child somatic complaints and withdrawn/depressed symptoms. The positive association between diagnostic status and somatic complaints was significant for children with low RSA but not significant for children with high RSA. This association was also significant for withdrawn/depressed symptoms. Low RSA was associated with more somatic complaints and withdrawn/depressed symptoms for children with cancer but not for control participants. Conclusions Children who have poor emotion regulation abilities may be more vulnerable to the range of stressors associated with the diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship of cancer. Behavioral interventions targeting emotion regulation skills may reduce internalizing symptoms in this population. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.