Characterizing Lone Parenting: A Multi-institutional Pilot Study of the Perceptions of Support and Perceived Stress of Lone Parents of Children With Cancer

This study will describe the perceptions of support and distress outcomes of single/lone parents of a child with cancer. Background: * Parents and families of children with chronic illnesses have stressors, including financial stress, role strains, separations, and interruptions in daily routines and plans for the future. All of these experiences may lead directly and indirectly to parental stress. * The number of families headed by single or lone parents is increasing. Little work has been done to better understand if the needs of parents who are providing care for a child on their own differ from parents who do not classify themselves as lone. Identifying parents who may need additional support within a pediatric oncology setting is very important so that appropriate support is provided. Objectives: \- To better understand the social, emotional, and practical effects of lone parents on children with cancer. Eligibility: * All parents whose child has been diagnosed with cancer between 6 and 18 months before enrolling on the study. * Participants must be able to speak and read English Design: * Parents will be asked to complete a questionnaire during one of their child s clinic or hospital visits. * The questionnaire will ask about the parenting experience since the child was diagnosed with cancer. It will ask about the support the parent has received from family and friends since the diagnosis. * The questionnaire will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

Sex

All

Minimum age

18 Years

Maximum age

65 Years

* INCLUSION CRITERIA:

  1. Parents or primary guardians of children (ages 6 months through 17 years) with any malignancy whose child is 6-18 months post-diagnosis.
  2. Ability to give informed consent.
  3. English or Spanish speaking

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

1. Severe psychological distress which - in the judgment of the Principal or Associate Investigators at each respective collection site- would compromise the participant s ability to understand the questionnaire or is likely to interfere with the study procedures or results.
2. Relapse of malignancy

• BACKGROUNDBarakat LP, Kazak AE, Meadows AT, Casey R, Meeske K, Stuber ML. Families surviving childhood cancer: a comparison of posttraumatic stress symptoms with families of healthy children. J Pediatr Psychol. 1997 Dec;22(6):843-59. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/22.6.843. PMID 9494321
• BACKGROUNDBarrera M, D'Agostino NM, Gibson J, Gilbert T, Weksberg R, Malkin D. Predictors and mediators of psychological adjustment in mothers of children newly diagnosed with cancer. Psychooncology. 2004 Sep;13(9):630-41. doi: 10.1002/pon.765. PMID 15334531
• BACKGROUNDBrown RT, Wiener L, Kupst MJ, Brennan T, Behrman R, Compas BE, David Elkin T, Fairclough DL, Friebert S, Katz E, Kazak AE, Madan-Swain A, Mansfield N, Mullins LL, Noll R, Patenaude AF, Phipps S, Sahler OJ, Sourkes B, Zeltzer L. Single parents of children with chronic illness: an understudied phenomenon. J Pediatr Psychol. 2008 May;33(4):408-21. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsm079. Epub 2007 Sep 29. PMID 17906331