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A two-session psychological intervention for siblings of pediatric cancer patients: a randomized controlled pilot
Alice Prchal1, Anna Graf, Eva Bergstraesser
1Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. alice.prchal@kispi.uzh.ch.
Insights
A brief psychological intervention improved psychological well-being and medical knowledge in siblings of pediatric cancer patients. The intervention did not reduce anxiety or posttraumatic stress symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Pediatric Oncology
- Family Support
Background:
- Siblings of children with cancer face emotional, behavioral, and social challenges.
- Early psychological interventions are crucial for supporting these vulnerable children.
- This study evaluated a novel intervention for siblings of newly diagnosed pediatric cancer patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of a two-session psychological intervention for siblings of pediatric cancer patients.
- To determine the intervention's impact on psychological well-being, coping skills, and adjustment.
- To evaluate changes in medical knowledge, social support, and mental health outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 30 siblings aged 6-17 years.
- Intervention group received a manualized two-session program including medical information and coping strategies.
- Outcomes measured included social support, quality of life, medical knowledge, posttraumatic stress, and anxiety at multiple follow-up points.
Main Results:
- Siblings in the intervention group demonstrated improved psychological well-being.
- Enhanced medical knowledge and increased reported social support were observed in the intervention group.
- No significant effects were found on posttraumatic stress symptoms or anxiety levels.
Conclusions:
- A brief, two-session sibling intervention can positively impact adjustment in the early stages of a sibling's cancer diagnosis.
- The intervention shows promise for enhancing psychological well-being and knowledge in pediatric cancer siblings.
- Further research may explore modifications to address anxiety and trauma-related symptoms.
Background:
Since siblings of pediatric cancer patients are at risk for emotional, behavioral, and social problems, there is considerable interest in development of early psychological interventions. This paper aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of a two-session psychological intervention for siblings of newly diagnosed pediatric cancer patients.
Methods:
Thirty siblings age 6-17 years were randomly assigned to an intervention group or an active control group with standard psychosocial care. The manualized intervention provided to siblings in the first 2 months after the cancer diagnosis of the ill child included medical information, promotion of coping skills, and a psychoeducational booklet for parents. At 4 to 6 weeks, 4 months, and 7 months after the diagnosis, all siblings and their parents completed measures (from standardized instruments) of social support, quality of life, medical knowledge, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and anxiety.
Results:
At follow-up siblings in the intervention group showed better psychological well-being, had better medical knowledge, and reported receiving social support from more people. However, the intervention had no effects on posttraumatic stress symptoms and anxiety.
Conclusions:
The results of this pilot trial suggest that a two-session sibling intervention can improve siblings' adjustment, particularly psychological well-being, in the early stage after a cancer diagnosis.
Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00296907.
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