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Psychosocial assessment and intervention at initial diagnosis
1Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, N.Y.
Insights
Pediatric cancer survival is improving, shifting focus to the child's future. Psychosocial assessments and interventions support children and families through diagnosis and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Child Psychology
- Family Medicine
Background:
- Improving long-term survival rates for childhood cancer necessitate a shift in care paradigms.
- Children with cancer are increasingly viewed as individuals with a future, not solely as terminally ill patients.
- The initial cancer diagnosis imposes significant coping tasks on families, impacting future adjustment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the evolving approach to pediatric cancer care, emphasizing long-term survival and quality of life.
- To underscore the importance of psychosocial support for children with cancer and their families.
- To advocate for the use of multidimensional psychosocial assessments and interventions.
Main Methods:
- Review of current pediatric oncology care standards and psychosocial support strategies.
- Emphasis on a multidimensional psychosocial assessment framework.
- Description of various psychosocial interventions tailored for pediatric cancer patients and families.
Main Results:
- Successful mastery of initial coping tasks post-diagnosis is crucial for long-term family adjustment.
- Multidimensional psychosocial assessments effectively identify patient and family strengths and challenges.
- Targeted psychosocial interventions facilitate adaptation to the challenges of childhood cancer.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric cancer care must evolve to address the needs of survivors with long-term futures.
- Comprehensive psychosocial support is integral to pediatric cancer management.
- Early and ongoing psychosocial assessment and intervention are key to optimizing outcomes for children with cancer and their families.
Abstract:
Advances in the long-term survival and possible cure of the child with cancer have challenged pediatric professionals to no longer view this child as terminally ill, but rather as a developing person with a future. The time of initial diagnosis presents the family with coping tasks which, once mastered, lay the ground work for future adjustment and, hopefully, the child's eventual return to good health. A multidimensional psychosocial assessment can be used to identify strengths and difficulties. A range of psychosocial interventions helps children and families with the coping tasks of this difficult but challenging experience.