Posttraumatic stress symptoms after childhood cancer
Abstract
The posttraumatic stress model has recently been applied to understand the impact of life-threatening illness in adults and in children. From 1991 to 2001, 20 studies have reported posttraumatic stress symptoms and/or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in childhood cancer survivors and/or their parents. A review of these studies is proposed. Prevalence of posttraumatic stress symptoms and/or PTSD in children and in their parents has been estimated, across studies, between 2 and 20 % in survivors and between 10 and 30 % in their parents, even many years after the end of cancer treatment. Time elapsed since the diagnosis of cancer is usually not predictive of persistent symptoms. Subjective appraisal of life threat and illness beliefs are more important predictors than objective medical data. The presence of symptoms in survivors is not always related to that in their parents. The posttraumatic stress model renews the approach and understanding of psychopathological reactions of children with cancer, regarding trauma features and the role of parental responses. This model has important implications for individual and family clinical interventions. A reflection on the disruption of family functioning by childhood cancer (an example being bone marrow transplantation with a related donor) and on the recovery processes is needed.
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Subjective appraisals regarding the cancer experience and its aftermath are stronger predictors of psychosocial functioning than objective medical data.
“Although the literature in this domain mostly stems from comparatively small-sized studies, results indeed highlighted that subjective appraisals regarding the cancer experience and its aftermath are stronger predictors of psychosocial functioning than objective medical data [10-12].”
From Risk and Protective Factors of Psychosocial Functioning in Survivors of Childhood Cancer: Results of the DCCSS-LATER Study (2024) · cites this paper as [11]
The present results are in line with previous studies demonstrating the importance of subjective appraisals and social support in predicting childhood cancer survivors' psychosocial outcomes.
“These results are in line with previous studies demonstrating the importance of subjective appraisals and social support in predicting CCS' psychosocial outcomes [10-13].”
From Risk and Protective Factors of Psychosocial Functioning in Survivors of Childhood Cancer: Results of the DCCSS-LATER Study (2024) · cites this paper as [11]
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“Notably, the literature emphasizes the importance of subjective factors including perceptions regarding childhood cancer [11, 13], coping strategies to manage the cancer experience and its long‐term effects [12, 14], self‐esteem [15], and social support [16].”
- Authors
- Ta�eb, O., Moro, M. R., Baubet, T., Revah-L�vy, A., & Flament, M. F.
- Affiliations
- Université Sorbonne Paris Nord (FR)
- University of Ottawa (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Flament, Martine F.
- Venue
- European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Published
- 2003-12-01
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 255-264
- ISSN
- 1018-8827 (ISSN-L)
- 1435-165X
- OpenAlex
- W2090121102
- Cited by
- 137
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 3.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Childhood Cancer Survivors' Quality of Life
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Keywords
- posttraumatic stress symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder, childhood cancer, cancer survivors, parents of cancer patients, life-threatening illness, illness beliefs, parental reactions, family functioning, bone marrow transplantation, recovery process
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Child, Child, Preschool, Cross-Sectional Studies, Family Relations, Female, Humans, Male, Neoplasms, Parent-Child Relations, Parents, Risk Factors, Sick Role, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Survivors, Siblings
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