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Determinants of social competence in pediatric brain tumor survivors who participated in an intervention study
Maru Barrera1,2, Eshetu G Atenafu3, Fiona Schulte4,5
1Department of Psychology, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, M5G 1X8, Canada. maru.barrera@sickkids.ca.
Insights
Pediatric brain tumor survivors with medulloblastoma or poor emotional control showed lower social competence. Interventions should address medical, personal, and social factors for these children.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Oncology
- Psychology
Background:
- Pediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTS) face challenges in social competence.
- Understanding risk and resilience factors is crucial for effective support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify disease/treatment, personal, and social/family factors predicting social competence in PBTS.
- To explore predictors of social competence using a multifactorial model.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 91 PBTS and their caregivers.
- Social competence assessed using the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) over 8 months.
- Collected data on medical history, personal characteristics, and family factors.
Main Results:
- Medulloblastoma and poor emotional control predicted lower self-reported social competence.
- Cranial irradiation therapy (CIT) was linked to lower assertion and cooperation.
- Non-White ethnicity was associated with lower overall social competence scores.
Conclusions:
- Social competence in PBTS is influenced by a combination of medical, personal, and social factors.
- Both child self-reports and caregiver reports identified key determinants.
- Findings support the need for integrated interventions addressing these multifactorial determinants.
Purpose:
This prospective study describes disease/treatment, personal characteristics, and social/family contextual variables as risk and resilience factors that predict social competence in pediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTS).
Methods:
Ninety-one PBTS (51% male, mean age 11.21 years, off-treatment, attending a regular classroom >50% of the time) participated. PBTS and their primary caregivers (proxy) completed the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) to assess social competence at baseline, 2, and 8 months follow-up. At baseline, medical information (e.g., tumor type and location, cranial irradiation therapy (CIT)), personal characteristics (e.g., child's age and gender, intelligence, executive function, attention, and memory), and social/family factors (family income and ethnicity) were obtained.
Results:
Using mixed model multivariable analyses with a longitudinal component, tumor type (medulloblastoma) (p < 0.01) and poor executive function, specifically, emotional control, were the best predictors of low total and assertion self-reported SSRS scores (p < 0.02). Receiving CIT was associated with low proxy-reported assertion (p = 0.035), and cooperation score (p = 0.02). Poor emotional control was associated with low proxy-reported total (p = 0.032), assertion (p = 0.023), and self-control scores (p = 0.007). Being non-White was associated with low proxy-reported total (p = 0.016), self-control (p = 0.040), responsibility (p = 0.035), and cooperation scores (p = 0.002). There were no significant changes over time.
Conclusions:
This study supports a multifactorial model of insult and non-insult factors (medical, personal, and social context) as determinants of social competence in PBTS. Data from both informants identify determinants of social competence. These factors need to be considered in future interventions to help children better improve their social competence.