Predictors of Moderate-High Posttraumatic Growth in Parents of Children With Cancer: A Cross-sectional Study

Parents of children with cancer may experience posttraumatic growth (PTG). In clinical practice, this parental enhancement is more likely to be seen with a moderate-high PTG.

The aim of this study was to determine the moderate-high PTG prevalence of parents of children diagnosed with cancer at least 6 months and to investigate its relationship with hope, social support, and patient-parent characteristics.

This cross-sectional study was conducted with the parents of children with cancer admitted to the pediatric hematology-oncology unit using the Parent-Child Characteristic Questionnaire, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and Dispositional Hope Scale. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the variables associated with moderate-high PTG.

One hundred one parents were enrolled in this study, and the prevalence of the moderate-high PTG was 79.2%. There was a statistically significant difference between moderate-high PTG and children's age ( P = .037). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that social support from significant others (odds ratio = 1.138, 95% confidence interval = 1.030-1.257, P = .011) was a predictor of moderate-high PTG.

Moderate-high PTG is common among parents of children diagnosed with cancer. Perceived social support from healthcare professionals and other patient parents is a predictive factor.

Interventions that encourage the support of health professionals and interaction with the parents of other patients, such as peer counseling, group-based interventions, and expanding the social support network, seem to be clinically promising in helping parents to improve from the cancer experience.