Determinants Associated with Psychological Well-Being Among Children and Adolescents with Acute Lymphoblastic...

Psychological well-being (PWB) plays a vital role in quality of life and psychological resilience, particularly in children undergoing intensive treatments such as chemotherapy. Children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), especially during school age and adolescence, often experience emotional and physical stress related to fear, anxiety, and uncertainty about disease prognosis and long-term outcomes.

This study aimed to identify factors associated with PWB among children with ALL undergoing chemotherapy.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 66 children aged 8-18 years with ALL undergoing chemotherapy, recruited via convenience sampling. Data were collected using a checklist, the Children's Worlds Psychological Well-Being Scale (CW-PWBS), a family support questionnaire, and the Children's Hope Scale (CHS). Data analysis included univariate analysis, bivariate analysis using Pearson and Spearman's rho, and multivariate analysis using ordinal logistic regression.

Most respondents (51.1%) had high PWB, whereas almost half (48.9%) had low PWB. Factors associated with PWB include age at diagnosis (p=0.015; r=-0.298), duration of therapy (p=0.002; r=0.371), family support (p=0.004; r=0.347), and hope (p<0.001; r=0.519). The results of multivariate analysis showed that the factor most associated with PWB in children aged 8-18 years with ALL undergoing chemotherapy was family support (OR=11.36; 95% CI=1.540-83.86; p=0.017).

Nearly half of children with ALL undergoing chemotherapy still experience low PWB. Age at diagnosis, therapy duration, family support, and hope are essential predictors influencing PWB, with family support as the most dominant predictor. These findings highlight the critical role of pediatric nurses in providing holistic, family-centered care, with an emphasis on psychosocial support to enhance PWB among children undergoing chemotherapy.