Social, emotional, and behavioral functioning of children with cancer

Objective. It was hypothesized that children with cancer would have more so cial problems and difficulties with emotional well-being than case control, same race/gender, similarly aged classmates. Study Design. Using a case controlled design, children with any type of can cer requiring chemotherapy except brain tumors (n = 76), currently receivin g chemotherapy, ages 8 to 15, were compared with case control classroom pee rs (n = 76). Peer relationships, emotional well-being, and behavior were ev aluated based on peer, teacher, parent, and self-report, and were compared using analysis of variance and structural equation modeling. Results. Relative to case controls, children with cancer were perceived by teachers as being more sociable; by teachers and peers as being less aggres sive; and by peers as having greater social acceptance. Measures of depress ion, anxiety, loneliness, and self-concept showed no significant difference s, except children with cancer reported significantly lower satisfaction wi th current athletic competence. There were also no significant differences in mother or father perceptions of behavioral problems, emotional well-bein g, or social functioning. Scores on all standardized measures were in the n ormal range for both groups. Comparisons of the correlation matrices of chi ldren with cancer and to the correlation matrix of the comparison children using structural equation modeling suggested they were not significantly di fferent. Conclusions. Children with cancer currently receiving chemotherapy were rem arkably similar to case controls on measures of emotional well-being and be tter on several dimensions of social functioning. These findings are not su pportive of disability/stress models of childhood chronic illness and sugge st considerable psychologic hardiness.