ADJUSTMENT IN THE PEER SYSTEM OF ADOLESCENTS WITH CANCER - A 2-YEAR STUDY

Evaluated the psychosocial adaptations of adolescents with cancer who were primarily off treatment (n = 19, ages 11-18) as compared with mat ched classroom controls in a 2-year longitudinal study on indices of ( a) teacher, peer, and self-perceptions of social reputation; (b) multi ple measures of popularity and friendships; and (c) self-reported feel ings of loneliness, depression, and self-concept. Adolescents with can cer continued to have a social reputation as being more socially isola ted, but no significant differences were identified on multiple measur es of social acceptance or the self-reported feelings. In general, ado lescents with cancer were similar to peers on numerous dimensions of p sychological functioning manifesting minimal discernable psychosocial late effects.