A Portrait of Self-Reported Health and Distress in Parents Whose Child Died of Cancer. (September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dumont, Émilie; Bourque, Claude Julie; Duval, Michel; Payot, Antoine; Sultan, Serge
• Is Part Of: Omega. Volume 85:Number 4(2022)
• Page Start: 958
• Page End: 973
• Publication Date: 2022-09
• Subjects: bereaved parents -- pediatric cancer -- quality of life -- psychological distress -- grief symptoms; Death -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Bereavement -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Death -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Suicide -- Periodicals; 306.9
• DOI: 10.1177/0030222820959943
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0030-2228

Abstract

Grieving a child following cancer is a substantially difficult task. The objectives of this research were: 1) to describe current quality of life (QoL), psychological distress and symptoms of grief of bereaved parents, and 2) to explore the role of possible contributors of QoL and psychological distress. Forty-six parents (32 mothers) of children who died of cancer were surveyed on their QoL, distress, and complicated grief. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Parents had a high frequency of grieving symptoms (58%). Mothers reported more retrospective grief symptoms than fathers when describing the year after child death. Current lower mental well-being was associated with experiencing higher retrospective grief symptoms, a shorter period since child death, and being a father. Hence, parents experienced disturbances even long after child death. Mothers and fathers may present specificities that should be considered when developing supportive activities for this vulnerable population.