Illness Uncertainty, Global Psychological Distress, and Posttraumatic Stress in Pediatric Cancer: A Preliminary Examination Using a Path Analysis Approach

Alayna P Tackett; Christopher C Cushing; Kristina I Suorsa; Alexandria J Mullins; Kaitlyn L Gamwell; Sunnye Mayes; Rene McNall-Knapp; John M Chaney; Larry L Mullins

doi:10.1093/jpepsy/jsv093

Illness Uncertainty, Global Psychological Distress, and Posttraumatic Stress in Pediatric Cancer: A Preliminary Examination Using a Path Analysis Approach

J Pediatr Psychol. 2016 Apr;41(3):309-18. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsv093. Epub 2015 Sep 30.

Authors

Alayna P Tackett¹, Christopher C Cushing², Kristina I Suorsa³, Alexandria J Mullins³, Kaitlyn L Gamwell³, Sunnye Mayes⁴, Rene McNall-Knapp⁴, John M Chaney³, Larry L Mullins³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, [email protected].
² Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Department of Psychology, University of Kansas, and.
³ Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University.
⁴ Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

PMID: 26423322
DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsv093

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relationship of illness uncertainty (IU) to global psychological distress (GPD) and posttraumatic stress symptomatology (PTSS) using a path analysis approach.

Methods: Participants were 105 caregivers (MAge = 36.9 years, standard deviation [SD] = 8.7) of children (MAge = 8.6 years, SD = 5.0) with newly diagnosed cancer. A path analysis model examined the indirect and direct effects of each IU subscale on PTSS through GPD.

Results: The final model accounted for 47.30% of the variance in PTSS, and the ambiguity facet of IU had a significant indirect effect on PTSS through GPD. Lack of clarity and unpredictability were not significant predictors.

Conclusions: Ambiguity experienced by parents may be salient in the development of PTSS. Future research should examine these relationships longitudinally in larger samples to better understand adjustment in parents of children with cancer.

Keywords: global psychological distress; illness uncertainty; pediatric cancer; posttraumatic stress.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Child
Child, Preschool
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasms / psychology*
Parents / psychology*
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology*
Stress, Psychological / psychology*
Uncertainty*