Psychosocial developmental milestones of young adult survivors of childhood cancer

Purpose The study aimed to compare the psychosocial development of young adult survivors of childhood cancer (YACCS) with a norm group of young adults from the general population. Methods From 2017 to 2020, 558 YACCS (18–30 years, 51% female, 10.9% CNS cancer) who participated in the Dutch Childhood...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Supportive care in cancer 2022-08, Vol.30 (8), p.6839-6849
Main Authors: Maurice-Stam, Heleen, van Erp, Loes M. E., Maas, Anne, van Oers, Hedy A., Kremer, Leontien C. M., van Dulmen-den Broeder, Eline, Tissing, Wim J. E., Loonen, Jacqueline J., van der Pal, Helena J. H., Beek, Laura R., de Vries, Andrica C. H., van den Heuvel-Eibrink, Marry M., Ronckers, Cécile M., Bresters, Dorine, Louwerens, Marloes, van der Heiden-van der Loo, Margriet, Huizinga, Gea A., Grootenhuis, Martha A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Cancer
Cancer in children
Child development
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Mental health
Nursing
Nursing Research
Oncology
Oncology, Experimental
Original
Original Article
Pain Medicine
Pediatrics
Psychological aspects
Psychosocial development
Rehabilitation Medicine
Survivor
Teenagers
Young adults
Youth
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Summary:Purpose The study aimed to compare the psychosocial development of young adult survivors of childhood cancer (YACCS) with a norm group of young adults from the general population. Methods From 2017 to 2020, 558 YACCS (18–30 years, 51% female, 10.9% CNS cancer) who participated in the Dutch Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (DCCSS) LATER cohort (diagnosed 1963–2001) part 2 completed the Course of Life Questionnaire ( CoLQ ), assessing the achievement of milestones. Items were grouped into the scales autonomy, psychosexual, and social development. Differences between YACCS and norm group were examined with ANOVA and Cohen’s d ( CoLQ scales) and with logistic regression analysis and odds ratio ( OR ) ( CoLQ items), for the total group and YACCS of CNS cancer. Results The total group of YACCS did not report a less favorable psychosocial development than the norm group. YACCS of CNS cancer scored lower than the norm group ( p < 0.001) on the scales autonomy ( d = − 0.36) and psychosexual ( d = − 0.46). Additionally, on half of the items of autonomy (0.25 ≤ OR ≤ 0.34), psychosexual (0.30 ≤ OR ≤ 0.48), and social (0.23 ≤ OR ≤ 0.47) development, YACCS of CNS cancer were less likely ( p < 0.01) than the norm group to have achieved the milestones. Conclusion Overall, psychosocial development of YACCS was as favorable as the norm, but YACCS of CNS cancer were at risk of an unfavorable psychosocial development in all domains. Monitoring psychosocial development should be included in the standards of psychosocial care, especially for CNS cancer patients and survivors, to be able to trace delay. Personalized interventions should be offered to improve the psychosocial development in an early stage.
ISSN:0941-4355
1433-7339
DOI:10.1007/s00520-022-07113-3