Depression and distress in caregivers of children with brain tumors undergoing treatment: psychosocial factors as moderators
Menée en Corée par questionnaire auprès de 82 soignants de patients pédiatriques atteints de tumeurs cérébrales, cette étude analyse les facteurs associés à leurs symptômes de dépression et de détresse psychologique
Objective This study's objectives were to examine the effects of depression on the distress of caregivers of children with brain tumors and to identify the factors moderating depression and caregiver distress. Methods Participants were 82 caregivers of children with brain tumors undergoing treatment in the National Cancer Center of South Korea. The depression subscale of the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised (SCL-90-R) and the Burden of a Primary Caregiver (BPC) Scale were used to measure participants' depression and caregiver distress, respectively. The Korean version of the Parenting Sense of Competence (K-PSOC) Scale, Family Environmental Scale-Revised (K-FES-R), and the DUKE-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire-S (DUKE-UNC-FSSQ) were used to assess parental efficacy, family relationships, and perceived social support, respectively. Results Younger patient age, lower family income, and caregivers' greater number of years of education significantly predicted caregiver distress. Caregivers with depression experienced significantly more distress than those without depression. The interaction of depression with parenting efficacy and social support affected caregiver distress. For highly depressed caregivers, parental efficacy, social support, and family relationships played weaker roles as protective factors against caregiver distress. High parental efficacy and social support were protective factors against distress in caregivers without depression. Conclusions A multi-dimensional assessment of the psychosocial factors that may affect caregivers of children with brain tumors should precede interventions for distress management. Interventions tailored to individuals' psychosocial factors are needed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.