Adjustment of children facing the death of a parent due to cancer Journal Article
| Authors: | Siegel, K.; Karus, D.; Raveis, V. H. |
| Article Title: | Adjustment of children facing the death of a parent due to cancer |
| Abstract: | Objective: To compare predeath and postdeath levels of depression and anxiety reported by a sample of children who lost a parent to cancer ("study children") with the levels reported by children in a community sample who did not experience such a loss. Method: T scores for depressive symptomatology (Children's Depression Inventory) and state and trait anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) were compared. Both samples were weighted to control for multiple participants from the same family. Weights for children in the community sample were further adjusted to match the distribution of the two samples with regard to gender, age, and number of children in the household. Comparisons were made using nests and χ2 tests. Results: Whereas study children reported significantly higher levels of depression and anxiety in the predeath period, levels of symptomatology reported for both measures postdeath were similar in both samples. Discussion: The data suggest that while many children experiencing the loss of a parent to cancer report elevated levels of depression and anxiety predeath, by 7 to 12 months postdeath their reports of depression and anxiety are comparable with those of similarly situated children in the community who did not experience such a loss. |
| Keywords: | adolescent; child; case control study; case-control studies; united states; follow up; follow-up studies; neoplasm; neoplasms; adaptive behavior; psychological aspect; adaptation, psychological; bereavement; chi-square distribution; new york; psychological adjustment; chi square distribution; emotional disorder; affective symptoms; humans; human; male; female; article; childhood bereavement; parental loss |
| Journal Title: | Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry |
| Volume: | 35 |
| Issue: | 4 |
| ISSN: | 0890-8567 |
| Publisher: | Elsevier for AACAP |
| Date Published: | 1996-04-01 |
| Start Page: | 442 |
| End Page: | 450 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1097/00004583-199604000-00010 |
| PUBMED: | 8919706 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | Article -- Export Date: 22 November 2017 -- Source: Scopus |
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