Stress, Adjustment And Growth In Children With Cancer And Their Parents

Running, not enrolling

Conditions studied: Posttraumatic Growth, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

In brief

This proposal examines trauma and growth responses in the childhood cancer experience. It addresses a number of gaps and unanswered questions in the literature, while integrating several distinct but related lines of research. The rationale for this proposal is outlined briefly as follows: 1. Traumatic stress models focused on pathology dominate pediatric psychosocial oncology research despite empiric evidence of low levels of post-traumatic stress in this population. 2. The assumption of 'cancer as a traumatic event' has biased research designs (including lack of control comparisons) to focus on deficits and pathological outcomes. 3. This deficit-oriented approach has stimulated the development of interventions to treat or prevent PTSD, which may be unnecessary or even harmful. 4. Theoretical and empiric evidence suggests that a more common response to traumatic stress is growth and positive change, but posttraumatic growth phenomenon have been understudied in pediatric populations. 5. Cognitive and personality factors are important determinants of PTSD and positive growth outcomes, and some constructs from positive psychology theory may be particularly relevant in children with cancer. 6. Empirically, parents of children with cancer appear to be at higher risk of PTSD/PTSS, although results are not unequivocal, and the same research biases have applied to parental outcomes. This proposal includes assessment of parental PTSS and PTG, both as an outcome and a predictor of child outcomes.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT01044160

Run by

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

People needed

663

Starts

2009-07-07

Expected to finish

2026-07-07

Last updated by the study team

2026-06-17

Who can join

Age: 3 and older, up to 25. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Primary Group
• Research participant is 8-17 years inclusive
• Research participant has a primary diagnosis of malignancy
• Research participant is at least one month from diagnosis with no upper limit in terms of time elapsed since diagnosis;
• Research participant is able to speak and read English;
• Research participant does not have any significant cognitive or sensory deficits that would preclude participation;
• Parent/LAR and research participant is willing to participate and provide consent/assent
• Young Child Group
• Research participant is 3 - 6 years of age, inclusive
• Primary diagnosis of malignancy
• At least one month from diagnosis
• One parent/LAR willing to participate and provide consent
• No history of sensory or developmental disorder that would invalidate study assessment procedures.
• Young Adult Group
• Research participant is 18-25 years of age inclusive
• Primary diagnosis of malignancy
• At least one month from diagnosis with no upper limit in terms of time elapsed from diagnosis
• Able to read and speak English
• No cognitive or sensory deficits that would preclude participation
• Willing to participate and provide consent
• Control Groups
• Research participant in 3 age groups (3 - 6 years; 8-17 years; 18-25 years) to match patient groups
• No history of chronic or life-threatening illness
• No cognitive or sensory impairment that would preclude completion of study measures
• Able to speak and read English

Where it is running

• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital — Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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