What's past is prologue: Recalled parenting styles are associated with childhood cancer survivors' mental health outcomes more than 25 years after diagnosis.
Anxiety
Cancer survivorship
Childhood cancer
Depression
Family
Mental health
Parenting
Psycho-oncology
Journal
Social science & medicine (1982)
ISSN: 1873-5347
Titre abrégé: Soc Sci Med
Pays: England
ID NLM: 8303205
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
05 2020
05 2020
Historique:
received:
24
08
2019
revised:
23
12
2019
accepted:
08
03
2020
pubmed:
23
3
2020
medline:
23
3
2021
entrez:
23
3
2020
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
With the increased survival rates of childhood cancer, long-term survivors' well-being over the life span has come into focus. A better understanding of the determinants of childhood cancer survivors' (CCS) mental health outcomes contributes to the identification of vulnerable individuals as well as to the development of evidence-based prevention and intervention efforts. It has been noted that psychosocial factors such as parental rearing behavior shape individual differences in mental health. There is also evidence that parents show altered parenting behavior in the face of childhood cancer, e. g. that they express more emotional support, but also more worries. However, little is known about the relevance of different parenting styles for CCS' mental health decades after diagnosis and treatment. We examined the associations of recalled parenting styles and disease-related factors with lifetime diagnoses of depression and anxiety disorders in a German, registry-based sample of adult CCS (N = 948, 44.50% women) with survival times >25 years. We conducted logistic regression analyses of lifetime diagnoses of depression and anxiety disorders, respectively, on dimensions of recalled parental rearing behavior (measured with a validated German short version of the EMBU) controlling for relevant adjustment variables such as the presence of physical illnesses. Recalled parenting styles of both parents had statistically relevant associations with CCS' lifetime depression and anxiety diagnoses. Maternal emotional warmth was related to fewer lifetime diagnoses of depression and fewer lifetime diagnoses of anxiety. Memories of paternal control and overprotection were positively associated with lifetime diagnoses of anxiety. The results indicate that mental representations of one's caregivers are associated with psychological long-term outcomes. Thus, medical professionals should involve the parents and support them in accompanying their child through the difficult times of treatment and survivorship. Interventions aimed at fostering survivors' quality of life should consider the sustained relevance of early relationships.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
With the increased survival rates of childhood cancer, long-term survivors' well-being over the life span has come into focus. A better understanding of the determinants of childhood cancer survivors' (CCS) mental health outcomes contributes to the identification of vulnerable individuals as well as to the development of evidence-based prevention and intervention efforts. It has been noted that psychosocial factors such as parental rearing behavior shape individual differences in mental health. There is also evidence that parents show altered parenting behavior in the face of childhood cancer, e. g. that they express more emotional support, but also more worries. However, little is known about the relevance of different parenting styles for CCS' mental health decades after diagnosis and treatment.
METHODS
We examined the associations of recalled parenting styles and disease-related factors with lifetime diagnoses of depression and anxiety disorders in a German, registry-based sample of adult CCS (N = 948, 44.50% women) with survival times >25 years. We conducted logistic regression analyses of lifetime diagnoses of depression and anxiety disorders, respectively, on dimensions of recalled parental rearing behavior (measured with a validated German short version of the EMBU) controlling for relevant adjustment variables such as the presence of physical illnesses.
RESULTS
Recalled parenting styles of both parents had statistically relevant associations with CCS' lifetime depression and anxiety diagnoses. Maternal emotional warmth was related to fewer lifetime diagnoses of depression and fewer lifetime diagnoses of anxiety. Memories of paternal control and overprotection were positively associated with lifetime diagnoses of anxiety.
CONCLUSION
The results indicate that mental representations of one's caregivers are associated with psychological long-term outcomes. Thus, medical professionals should involve the parents and support them in accompanying their child through the difficult times of treatment and survivorship. Interventions aimed at fostering survivors' quality of life should consider the sustained relevance of early relationships.
Identifiants
pubmed: 32200184
pii: S0277-9536(20)30135-0
doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.112916
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
112916Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Declaration of competing interest P.S. Wild has received research funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, PHILIPS Medical Systems, Sanofi-Aventis, Bayer Vital, Daiichi Sankyo Europe, IMO Institute, Portavita, the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), Initiative ‘Health Economy’, the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Economics, Rhineland-Palatinate, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF 01EO1503), Rhineland-Palatinate (MSAGD), and Mainz Heart Foundation, and has received honoraria for lectures or consulting from Boehringer Ingelheim. He is PI of the German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK). The authors state that they have no conflict of interest. This work is part of the dissertation of the first author.